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The Reason For sunstroke Lighthouse
11 October, 2002
Author: Dino Hi

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When the angel of death comes knocking at your door, and knocks you down with one strike of his spear. Are you prepared for a new way of life? A beautiful spring day, a new champion, on top of the world, on top of his game. A number one champion, winning the biggest and toughest race in the state. A dream, my ultimate goal, with the biggest trophy. Oh so proud, and in the papers.

Now I can say, I can retire, because there is no other trophy, bigger than this one, or is there?

Another beautiful spring day has arrived, but something is wrong with this one? What's wrong? Why are you talking so loud? I don't know? My whole left side went to sleep, I need to walk this off. I feel like I sat on the toilet too long, and my left leg and arm is asleep. You need to go see a doctor! No way! I haven't been to one in years, besides, all they want to do, is put their finger up my butt. Don't you worry, I'm tough, I'm a champion, and don't need any stinking pills. I can eat and drink anything, all the greasy hamburgers, fries, and donuts I want. I'll cancel that ride today with friends. I'll just walk this off. Walking in the backyard all day, trying to get circulation back into my left side, and many hours went by. I'll try and edge this grass with a sickle, on my knees, I wanted to lay down and sleep instead, so weak and tired, that I finally gave up, after going only a foot. Midnight came, I can't seem to get my left side to relax. Your going to the hospital now! Ok! I'll give in, but I'm driving, weaving back and forth on the road. Can't you drive straight? I slowly walked into the hospital, got checked out like a drunk driver's test. You've got a stroke! A stroke? Oh my God! The angel of death had taken my mother and father, aunts and uncles and my friend, with that spear.

Four days has gone by, and still in the hospital, going through every test there is. Hey! Normal people can't do this, even when they are well, balancing on a small teeder-todder, eyes close, jumping on a trampoline with one leg, catchng a ball.

Sir! Time for you to go home now, sit in this wheelchair. No way! I walked into this joint, I'm walking out! Left muscles all collapsed, weak lung, leg looks so skinny, all flat, like you took all the air out of a tube, and very hard to walk, as they followed me out the door, with a wheelchair behind, in case I fall.

Doctor said, it's like a heart attack, only this is a brain attack, and the brain cells that operate your left side, are dead. It's like a road that has been blocked, and everything has to find a new way around this blockage, and you need to excersize. What to do now? No job, body broke down, and a champion down.

I arrived home, sat in the garage by the door and pet my dog. He knew something was wrong. I didn't rough him up and squeeze him, like I usually do when we meet. I'm going to go in the back and pick up his dog poop, with a shovel and scooper. Then it hit me, I couldn't even do this simple task, tears rolled down, I can't even pick up dog poop, or even play my guitar. Sitting for nine days, thinking, wondering whats to happen, with my life now, looking at my green dirtbike, a once Desert 100 champion.

I'm going to ride that bike now! Your crazy! I want to see if I have any balance? I pulled it out, started it up, well, here goes nothing, hope I don't fall on my left side. Out on to the street I go, and into a field, oh man! This feels so good! I do have balance! But no control on my left side, to even squeeze the clutch, and then brought it back home. Now I know what I want to do. To race the Desert 100 again, and just to get to the finish line, even if I'm dead last, and
I'll die trying. Now I need to get busy, to get in shape, so I can race in eleven months from now. This will be my new goal and a dream.

I looked at this area in the backyard. I know, I'll build a light house where the never used garden is. A garden storage house instead. I've got all this free construction material, that I was going to use on a tree house for my grandson. There will hardly be any cost involved, and it will be a rehabilitation for me, to see if I can use a hammer and nail again, climb a ladder, and use a screw gun. So I got busy, as painful as it was, working everyday, sometimes eleven hours, and wanting no help. Now I had,"a reason, a desire, a purpose, and a destination."

Three months later, standing taller then our house, a lighthouse! I surprise myself, family, neighbors, and friends. With windows, porch, two dormers, upstairs attic, roof balcony, in the middle, a cupola with copper roof covered with copper stars, and each star representing someone I know or died, including "Casper" my samoyed dog. Installed electricty with lights shining out over the whole yard, painted all blue with cream trim, a huge mexican sun looking down from the cupola. Even a sink with running water, tile floor, cabinets, and a black leather couch. Cost me under four hundred dollars, for something that looks like fifteen thousand, and only buying siding and roof shingles. Standing back, flipping the lights on for the first time, I really amazed myself, is this really a dream? My wife's new garden lighthouse.

What to call it? How about "Sunstroke Lighthouse," I built it in the sun, with a stroke, she liked the name and for a good reason. I was now on my way, at getting better.

Eight months after my stroke, I rode for my second time, my friends were there, to watch and ride with me. You are back! Now for that Desert 100 race. That day finally came, three months later. I finished, taking third, getting beat near the end. My biggest comeback, I did it! I'm in my dream.

Came back the following year to win it. A new champion, with a new outlook in life, a new beggining, with a bigger trophy, myself. The geezer, Hi.#5-0 and still dreaming.

------- Author's Notes -------

This is dedicated to those suffering from a problem.
To help find "your reason, your desire, your purpose, and a destination."
A dream.

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Comments on this poem/writing:

Capricorn (62.30.192.1) -- Wednesday, November 13 2002, 12:20 pm

Very moving

This is a very moving story Dino - I have tears in my eyes! Your words are so true, we all need a purpose in life to get through our problems, we just have to find our dream. Keep dreaming Dino!
Capricorn (62.30.192.1) -- Wednesday, November 13 2002, 01:34 pm

Humour and courage

Fogot to say in the comment above that your writing shows humour and courage
The geezer (66.19.115.65) -- Monday, November 25 2002, 09:12 pm

Mahalo-thanks!

Thank you very much, late in responding. You're right, it does take courage to reveal our souls, exposing our hearts and showing wounds and scars. This really is a nice place for therapy. Thanks to the Dreamer. I'll visit often and try to participate with all of you, the best I can. Those famous words "We're not superstars." Aloha!
 
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