It has been years since I read the Scarlet Letter.

 I may even remember more of it from the movie than the book but that really doesn't matter.

I don't even know why this thought came to me and why I have thought of linking the wearing of the Scarlet Letter

to having a stroke.

If you have had a stroke no further explanation is necessary unless you haven't read the book.

To recap, the novel written by Nathaniel Hawthorne is about Puritan life in New England during the 1700's.

A young lady Hester Prynne becomes pregnant has a child from an affair while her husband is lost at sea.

She is sent to prison and after her release is forced to wear a large letter A on her clothing to make it known

that she committed adultery and is her "Badge of Shame"

While their is no shame in having had a stroke, most of us do wear a badge indicating that we have experienced

a major trauma of some sort.

It could be being confined to bed, a wheel chair,  a stiff shoulder or foot drop or limp.

Each stroke is as original as the individual herself.

I consider myself blessed approaching my two year anniversary.

I am able walk, drive and I am about to relaunch my insurance business. www.BobMillerInsurance.com

The uninvited intruder that became a part of me is forever reminding me of it's presence not unlike the Scarlet

Letter. Wouldn't it be nice to be able to remove the stigma and just be normal again?

Wouldn't it be nice to just go back to where we were before the stroke came to visit?

Not trying to diminish other afflictions, diseases, sickness or tragic events but many times people can heal,

learn from their experience and move on. That's not easy to do with a stroke.

People can see us approaching with that Scarlet letter whether it is a limp a wheelchair or a withered hand.

We can't go back in time and make the stroke go away but we transform the scarlet letter from a CAPITAL S

for stroke to a lower case s. in other words we can improve our quality of life.

No matter how bad you are or for how long that you have had your stroke(s) their are things that we can do

to help ourselves.

Because of this experience I have dedicated my life to become the best that I can be despite this misfortune.

By striving for improvement in myself I am committed to become an example for others and to do everything

in my power to help inspire others to do the same.

Perhaps this is my purpose in life. Perhaps it is your purpose as well.

I know that I never would have created www.StrokesSuck.com were it not for my stroke.

Not that I wouldn't trade that to go back to being stroke free in a heartbeat but I can't and their is no use in

even going there.

So like the U.S. Marines, be the best that you can be. Help someone else and be a role model.

God bless you all.