Before we turn off the lights at TLO's Worldwide Headquarters for an extended and much-needed Memorial Day weekend, I wanted to pass along a message from our pal Louis Fowler.
On Saturday, we met again for lunch in downtown Norman, this time at the venerable Bison Witches. While talking about the news topics of the day and debating the ingredients of their homemade tailgate-style queso, Louis mentioned he wanted to try to write a message for all of our readers, subscribers, commenters, and admirers who supported him following his massive stroke.
Here it is:
"In case you are wondering, another massive stroke—collect them all!—had left me a near-paraplegic, clinging to dear life…for the most part. Regardless, the TLO public gave me another chance and I humbly thank you." Louis Fowler
That may not seem like a lot, but for a stroke survivor whose life – much less ability to read or write – hung in the balance only four months ago, it's an incredible accomplishment! Just like with walking and eating food, Louis has to go through the arduous task of rewiring the neurons in his brain to learn how to write again, and as those two sentences show, it's another area where he's making progress in his recovery.
Every time I meet up with Louis, I'm amazed by how he's doing. From the physical strength and dexterity he's regained to the continued improvement in his verbal skills, it's kind of like seeing your little niece or nephew for the first time in a couple of months. They've changed so fast that it's almost like they're a different person.
I have a strong gut feeling that Louis's writing skills will take a similar trajectory. In just a month, I've already seen a few cobbled together words grow into full-blown sentences. The next time we meet up, I wouldn't be surprised if he's moved-on to full-blown paragraphs about his mom's cooking.
Anyway, I join Louis in humbly thanking everyone for giving him a second chance. We are proud of everything he's accomplished and look forward to seeing the new milestones he reaches during his recovery. Regardless of outcomes, he always has a seat at the TLO roundtable.
Have a happy Memorial Day weekend. We'll see you next week.
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