Get Well Stovie....and God Bless You.... ...

“It is horns, you're correct. I remembered the rest of it correctly but just didn't think I should write it. FMJ rocks.
last edited: 4/11/07 4:14:07 PM”

“Oh goodness.....just got in from work and heard the news.....I wondered why he had not posted!!!....I guess I will run over to see him...it isn't too far from here...( I live close to Mississippi...a few miles away...)
...I wish him the best and a quick recovery!!!!!

I guess I could print this thread and take it to him!!!
last edited: 4/11/07 4:19:13 PM”

“Steers and queers? Wasn't that "An Officer And a Gentleman"??? I would have sworn, but Google verifies FMJ. Maybe the guy in AOAAG was quoting from FMJ.”

“Oh my god, I hope he's okay. My thoughts are with him.”

“??????”

“OMG Stovie, I will keep you in my prayers. I hope everything turns out ok!”

“Stovie, hoping for a quick recovery and all the hot nurses you can chase! Get better real quick!”

“:( So sorry Kevin.Best of luck,darlin'..AND FROM THIS NURSE...DO THE THERAPY!!! It will make all the difference in your recovery..Can't wait to see you on the trail soon...k?

Love ya Pat”

“WTF??? Give me a moment to catch my breath.



Okay. Whew.



Kevin, I will be praying for you. I am so glad to hear that someone got you the medical attention you needed. (I was going to crack a joke, but I just can't yet)


May all your nurses and therapists be cute and gentle (and single females).”

“Chili needs to send nursegoodbody to see Kevin.”

“I kept hoping it was one of those elaborate pranks, like something chili or Budha Bear would do. Got an email from Stovey said he wouldn't be around much, that he had a stroke. Then Twiggy checked into it. And now, you got ahold of him. Thanks, Chappy.

Best wishes, Kevin. Don't be too much of a pain for the nurses. And remember that we are only put through what we can handle. Go handle it! (hey, go get a nurse to post on the fuego thread!)

:-) I will try to call, also.

He also said to let Bison know he's out for the Yellowstone trip.”

“Just talked to him. He had the stroke Friday, March 30. Had taken the day off to work on his deck. It was hot out. Quit around 5 p.m. and was sitting in a chair. Left side of face felt hot and itchy. He went and splashed it with cold water.

Then he sat down and was watching TV. Got up to go to the bathroom and fell down. His right side wasn't working. He had a cell phone handy and called his father, who also called his sister. They called an ambulance.

At first nothing on his right side was working. Now he has a little movement in his right arm and more in his leg. He's in therapy each day till around 3 or 3:30 p.m.

Doctors are not sure where the stroke occurred, but maybe in the brainstem??? He is needing to relearn how to use the areas of his body run by parts of the brain that were killed by the stroke. He said he had taken a sinus tab not long before this happened and he had been on blood pressure medication. Said he's now heard sinus tabs also mess with blood pressure.

He's in good spirits. Chased his parents away when I called. OR, with his southern/now additionally stroke-afflicted accent (which, he noted, his brother was making fun of), I thought he said "Paris" was there... and figured Paris Hilton was visiting. LOL!

He does not have internet access (anyone for a laptop, wifi collection?? ;-) He will be there for awhile doing therapy. I think he said maybe four weeks anyway???

He thanked hpm & treebait and chili for flowers.

Get better soon and fast, Kevin!!
last edited: 4/11/07 6:25:16 PM”

“I just got off of the phone with him, he actually sounds pretty good, maybe because I'm used to hearing my husband talk and his speech is a little slurred too. No, really his speech is not that slurred at all, he has a wonderful slow southern accent, I kinda like it. I think if I had stayed on the phone much longer I would have started sounding quite southern myself. Yeah, the stroke was on his brainstem and he had taken a sinus medication. When you consider the stroke was on his brainstem and that the brainstem controls involuntary function like lung and heart muscle, it IS a miracle that he is alive; obviously God has plans for him yet. I wonder if it was sudafed? Nasty stuff. He says the tests show his heart is fine, so the stroke was not caused by his heart throwing a clot. He is doing his therapy, he has some movement coming back already, and expects recovery enough to backpack again. Great attitude to have!”

“Wow... just came across this!

Positive energy headed your way Stovie! As Pammie said, there are obviously other plans in store for you - maybe hiking with ME! So take care of yourself & let's get your butt back on the trail!”

“Wow! Thoughts and prayers are with you!

Thanks for the feedback from others. That is nice.”

“Thank god his speach wasn't slurred, Hell the old slow talking SOB was hard enough to understand as it is! Get well soon Stovie.

”

“Stove should get better and come hike with ME! Now THAT is motivation.”

“:P raspberries to both of you, Stovie is willing to come all the way to the midwest to hike with me, he will hike with me agian!”

“Prayers for you, SS. Get better!”

“Anybody who goes to visit him should print out this thread.

Bobo did that for me when I was laid up and it meant a lot.”

“I was just thinking about how backpacking saved Pedxing's life.

Without his strong lungs he may not have survived the damage.

Decent cardio-vascular conditioning in the way of paddling and hiking may have been what gave Kevin the edge.

Rock on, brother!!”

“Nice photo DDX - I'll have to show that to Reece since he was on the trip too.

Thanks for the update lizs. I got online to see what was up. Glad he has a great attitude about it.”

“Reece just snuck downstairs. I showed the photo to him and he yelled, "Mr. Kevin!!!" The kids said prayers for Mr. Heaven at bedtime.”

“=) He was in our dinner time prayer. Abby's got a rainbow all ready for him. Going in the mail tomorrow.”

“Stay off the Feugo threads for a while ya silly con-serve. J/K wishing you a speedy and full recovery. Work hard and don't quit!!!!”

“My favorite Stovey photo... from the Upper Iowa canoe trip (yes, Stovey definitely comes to the Midwest to hike/canoe). He managed to hang onto and keep dry Krispy Kremes he offered for breakfast. LOL!

”

“get well stovie!!!!! godspeed!”

“Get well Stovie. We hope to see you out on the trail soon.”

“Did anyone else notice in that picture that Stovey wears a fanny pack?”

“Nope. But now that you mention it I'll have to add that to the list of stuff to give him a hard time about when he gets back. ;)”

“dont forget the tea kettle~”

“what about the tea kettle? (I happen to love my own so I won't make fun of anyone for using one)”

“You're kind o' special to for being the first tt'er I met, and for being so friendly on that first hike of mine across the Sipsey
river's creek.

Peace, StoveStomper.

Here's a wish for a speedy recovery and to getting back to the things that you love to do.”

“Just saw this....

Hang tough Stovie! Good thoughts and prayers to ya.

Thank you Pamela for the update.”

“Wow, stay off the forums and look what happens...thank you all for being more attentive to one of our own...I was really upset to read about Kevin's stroke...he is a great guy who gives wonderful hugs...and thanks for posting his address and, to those of you who connected with him via phone, thank you for letting us know how it's going...hard to imagine anything stopping Kevin...I hope his recovery goes well....damn!”

“Piling on the prayers.”

“Dayhiker, if you would send one of those chocolate pies like you brought to Big Creek last year, SS would be up dancing a jig after the first slice.”

“Get well SS..Do I need to come take your temp???”

“Use the rectal thermometer on him.”

“does he have his cell with him?”

“They've got him in a cell??”

“He Kevin, We're thinking of you. Sorry to hear the bad news. Looks like you've got a lot of support and prayers here. ;)
Get well!”

“you can use a cell phone to get a rectal temperature? Wow, technology these days!

GooooOOOoooOOOooooOOOOooo Stovie!!!!”

“Lucky Bastard, 3-4 weeks of sponge baths from hot young nurses. Of course, there are a lot more male nurses than there used to be.

Get well soon.”

“Sorry to hear this. Hope you're back on the trail soon.”

“chili - that thing would be skanky after shipping. I'm sending something even better than Johnnie Rays pie, if that's even possible.”

“William Kevin Smith
Singing River Hospital, 2809 Denny Avenue, Pascagoula, MS 39581. Room 4019.

i just mailed him a short note. not much, but who doesn't like getting mail?”

“Hang in there, man - you'll be out there stomping stoves in no time!”

“SS, so sorry to see this thread, but way happy to see how well you're doing. T-Girl is right. Do your therapy religiously. The mountains and all of TT want you back ASAP.”