CANADIAN PHYSIQUE ALLIANCE APRIL || ISSUE 33 | Page 5

are you doing here? Go away.”--
the same greeting I would get
when I visited him in his home.
I knew immediately that it was
the same old Mike, and felt
relieved.
I pulled up a chair and sat next
to him.  We first spoke about
what brought on the stroke
and what the prognosis was.
Although he spoke a little
slower than usual his speech
was clear and his mind sharp. 
He explained that the doctors did not know what brought on the stroke as
there was no previous family history of this illness.  He also did not know how
long he would remain in the hospital but was positive and was doing therapy
every day.  He explained to me that although paralyzed on the right side he
could feel everything but had absolutely no movement at this time.
It did not take long before we were on to our usual subjects of bodybuilding
and fitness. He spoke about doing 200 lb squats and timing himself ‘five
seconds down and three seconds up’ for each rep, the week before the stroke.
He then opened his laptop to check out the latest on the CPA and upcoming
competitions.  He was slated to judge and do our stats at the Thunder Bay
contest and in his usual humorous way reminded me he would not be able
to make it.  We both chuckled, but I did remind him to be ready to judge the
upcoming Sudbury show in May.
Michael truly feels he is alive today because of his lifelong dedication to
training and bodybuilding.  A week prior to becoming ill, he was training
regularly and working as a dedicated caretaker driving wheelchair-bound
patients to their homes and destinations.  He truly loves to care for those who
were working with a disability and jokes around with them often.