GREEN CHILE, CHICKEN, AND CORN SOUP

Happy Fall! This is the time to get together with family and friends. What way to celebrate this month by serving a American Indian meal in honor of  National American Indian Heritage Month with a hearty soup.

Got 30 minutes? Try this half-hour fat-burning home workout for beginners, promising achievable, low-impact results. 

Kellee's Korner

Greetings! I hope everyone has recovered from eating those Trick or Treat bags! October was a busy month for our YSG members! The month began with Rev. Jackie Collins facilitating the meeting about spirituality! Dr. Farah Fourcand facilitated a presentation in September entitled “The Plastic Brain,” and discussed neuroplasticity. She returned on October 11th and led a discussion on neuroplasticity.

Shelli Beard facilitated an interesting meeting regarding “Cognitive Fusion,” a Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) by replacing intrusive thoughts or negative self-thoughts into positive thoughts by reframing the issue. The sticky thoughts are used to make inner peace with

our own thoughts. Thank you, Shelli, for the great ideas for how to manage our negative self-talk and sticky thoughts!

The month of October ended with a discussion on moving forward with stroke recovery. Interesting Apps and Sites for Brain Train Training It seems like there is an app for everything nowadays, and I’m really enjoying the daily Elevate app, and complete activities tailored for reading, writing, speaking, and math! Focus, processing

speed, and speaking skills are individually customized to tailor the individual’s needs!

Click here to learn more about this app. I try to limit myself to cell phone usage. There is a great website, braingle.com that is dedicated to brain exercises, such as puzzle games, memory tests, flash cards, trivia, IQ tests, Mental Aerobics, and articles to benefit the user. The best part of the site is that all of the games are free to play! Visit the site, navigate areas/activities of the user’s interests, and train that brain!

Choosing the Right Stroke Rehab Facility

American Stroke Association

Choosing the Right Hospital

American Stroke Association

Choosing to Returning to Work

American Stroke Association

Shelli

Just an ordinary day

On the morning of June 6, 2021, my husband and his best friend had headed out to hike the Appalachian Trail for four days. I decided to stay home with our three children who were ages 21, 18, and 12 at the time. My kids had plans for the day, so I drove to the Hunt Valley area near Baltimore, Maryland, and completed a 10-mile road race. I felt fine and ran respectably for my age group (I was 51 years old).

Everything changed

While walking back to my car, I felt very hot on one side of my face but thought I just needed some water and a cool car. On my drive home, I hit a pole and two cars, and didn't even realize it until I was cut off by the police. I was very confused. I thought I had simply hit a curb and lost a hubcap. Instead, I apparently had four flat tires. They took me to the emergency room by ambulance. I still thought I was fine, though, and was anxious to get home to my kids. I stayed at

the hospital a matter of a few hours, and, against medical advice, signed myself out that afternoon. I called my father to get a ride home. Later that evening, I fell down while sweeping up after dinner. I fell again (out of the bed) in the middle of the night. My husband was still out of town and unreachable, so I called out to my two older children to help me. My son and daughter recognized the severity of the situation and called 911. I wound up in the intensive care

unit and my family was able to reach my husband shortly after I was admitted. Eventually, I was transferred to inpatient rehab, and I did not come home again until July 21.  

The stroke

My stroke was due to a dissected artery which impacted the right side of my brain. My main problem was hemiplesia (muscle weakness or paralysis) on the left side of my body. I still struggle with mobility in my left arm, hand, and leg. I have received physical, occupational and

speech therapy, and continue to have therapy now. I also meet with personal trainer once a week who gives me exercises to do at home.

I am happy to say that I have regained much of my mobility since being discharged from the rehabilitation center. I was sent home in a wheelchair, unable to transfer myself into my own bed. I can now walk with the assistance of a cane, can maneuver myself independently around the house, have taken several short road trips, and can speak audibly enough to be heard in a crowd.

What I’ve learned

I have learned to take my doctors' advice more seriously now. I don't think I would ever sign myself out of a hospital against medical advice again.

I have learned to recognize some of the early signs of stroke, such as sudden confusion or loss of balance.  

I have also learned the value of family and friends, who have been very supportive of me during this time, consistently helping our family out with meals, rides, and visits. 

I would like to let people know that even if you are young and healthy, you could potentially still have a stroke.

Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program 

Community Action's Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program is recruiting volunteers to become IRS-certified VITA tax preparers, schedulers, greeters, interpreters, quality reviewers, and site coordinators during the 2023 tax season, January through mid-April. 

Receive free training (in person or virtual) and choose to volunteer in Rockville, Silver Spring, Gaithersburg, or Wheaton. High school students may receive SSL hours by volunteering as greeters or schedulers. 

Virtual information sessions for prospective volunteers: 

November 9 from 10:30 – 11:30 am and from 6 – 7 pm 

If interested in attending, drop an email VITA@montgomerycountymd.gov. 

For more information, visit montgomerycountymd.gov/CASHBACK, call 240-777-1123, or email: VITA@montgomerycountymd.gov. 

Montgomery County Food Council announces food distribution updates for Thanksgiving Week, November 11-29.

See below for info on food distribution centers close to you during the week of November 11-29. Contact the listed email addresses for more details. See this link for detailed information. 

Please contact the listed email address for more details on that distribution event.



UpCounty Consolidation Hub at Black Rock Center for the Arts 

12901 Town Commons Dr, Germantown, MD 20874 

Tuesday (11/24) drive thru distribution.   

Wednesday, 11/25, at 2pm. 

Phone: 240-912-1077 

Email: hub@blackrockcenter.org 

Mid County Hub at Bethel World Outreach Church 

16227 Batchellors Forest Rd., Olney, 20832 

Tuesday November 24th, 5-7pm.  

Phone: 301-728-8950; 301-588-8099 ext. 1112 

Email: bethelserves@gmail.com 

Bethel Capitol Church 

7961 Eastern Ave, Silver Spring, MD 20910 

Wednesday, November 25th, from 12:00pm to 2:00pm 

Email: info@bethelcapitolchurch.org 

East County Hub at Kingdom Fellowship Church 

Kingdom Fellowship AME Church, 12101 Tech Rd, Silver Spring, MD 20904 

Tuesday, November 24th at 4pm 

Phone number 301-589-0866 679-1100.