The fellow who makes our ADXA badges, David Conley (Conley Graphics), KG5DPA, had a stroke last month but speech is very much on the mend. It takes a few seconds for David to arrange a response. Neither set of limbs are responding yet and he's a little emotionless. He happened to be socializing in the Unity So. Campus Rehab nurses' station when I visited last Thursday midday. He's not quite ready to have his FT-60 brought to him.

From: [email protected] <[email protected]> on behalf of Jay Bromley <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, August 26, 2025 5:04 PM
To: Dennis Schaefer <[email protected]>; ADXA <[email protected]>
Subject: Re: [ADXA] major life change, at least for awhile

Dennis this is so sad, but glad she is on the mend! Please give her our very best! She is part of the ham radio community over these many years! Our prayers are with her and You!

From: [email protected] <[email protected]> on behalf of Dennis Schaefer <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, August 26, 2025 4:56 PM
To: ADXA <[email protected]>
Subject: [ADXA] major life change, at least for awhile

My wife, Melissa (N5HX) had a stroke on August 1. She has been through ER, ICU, hospital, and rehab and has been home for about a week. I haven’t had much experience with strokes because everyone on my side of the family succumbed to something else. I’m learning way more than I ever wanted to know.

We got her to the ER right away and she had the clot -busting drug within 1.5 hours. I understand there are some downsides to this, but it was what the hospital had to offer on an expedited basis.

She suffers from aphasia, which means you know what you want to say, but your mouth won’t say it. It has gotten better and she will be in outpatient speech therapy for some time. The doctors say she should regain most or all of her speech. I hope they’re right but it will be a long process. She does puzzles (Sudoku and jumbles) and can crochet and get dressed and do many things independently. She follows the plot in a murder mystery TV show and keeps up with the Texas Rangers lineup better than I do. Decision-making and understanding processes need some work, though.

The therapists emphasized variations in communication exercises, so I’m sure you can guess what I thought of. It could involve dits and dahs. She is a 13 WPM Extra but it has been decades since she actually used CW. It’s something to have a little fun with, anyway.

I’m aware I’m not the only member with caretaking duties. This increases my respect for them. Maybe 6 months from now, I’ll be back to meetings and she will be back to near normal activities. That’s the goal, anyway.