I was thinking about a name for our stroke support group. My first inclination was something catchy. I though how about something like FAST—you know, use the first letters of the word to tie into other words, thus creating a more meaningful word. I racked my brain and nothing quite made sense. I realized that there probably was such a word but it just wasn't going to come to me today.

Then I thought about just a clever word like STROKERS. We could have an outline of a person swinging a golf club in the background or a quill pen with a hand making a fancy letter or the outline of a brain.

I also kept thinking that there really isn't anything fancy or clever or catchy about having a stroke. We certainly want a name for our stroke support group but something practical and meaningful would be best.

I guess that almost all of us wish we weren't a member of this group. That is to say that they wish they didn't have a stroke to begin with. All the people I have met here are strong-willed and determined, and that is a good thing for all of us. I have never been faced with a challenge like this and thank goodness for all of our caregivers, family and friends. They are the difference-makers.

At the end of the day, we are all trying to create a new normal. As I continued to think about a group name, I was struck with how many words started with RE. I thought of all other functions and tasks that I used to perform effortlessly and was reminded of the fact that those days were gone. I narrowed my thoughts down to RE-MINDERS and chose five RE words that I work on and will work on every single day for the rest of my life. I am sure there will be times that I will have to rework the plan, and I am sure that circumstances will cause me to have to restart, however I always want to remind myself of what functions I have and not resign myself to limitations. That is why I plan to continue to RE-mind myself to recover, reflect, restore, resolve and reinvent myself.