Ok, now on with this interview that Chuck Hofvander conducted before his bicycle accident. While you're reading that I'm going over to the Camp Store to do some shopping.
by Chuck Hofvander
Early on the morning of 9/22/2008 Mike had just finished walking his dog when he became dizzy and disoriented. He sat down to regain his senses, he never got up. Mike had suffered a stroke at 48 years old.
Mike's wife to find his truck still parked in the driveway.
She immediately ran outside and found him collapsed in the front yard.
She screamed for their daughter to call 911. They did not want to lose
Mike, his brother had passed away of heart disease early in life. Mike had
exercised regularly, ate a nutrional diet and had a good job. He suffered from
high blood pressure but nothing else.
Mike woke up at Alexian Brothers rehab hospital. Doctors told
him he had a brain stem stroke; less than one percent of those suffering this
type stroke survive or they become severely disabled.
When Mike awoke he could not feed himself, speak, feel his
entire right side, he lost hearing in one ear and had double vision. Mike
spent eight weeks as an in-patient. When he was released he attended
out-patient rehab for eight hours for six months and weekends brought
additional homework. Mike says he lived at rehab, it was his job to get
better.
He continues to have numbness on his right side, slight aphasia,
coordination and balance issues, hearing loss, and memory problems but Mike had
beaten the stroke. He beat the odds.