Thanks to Nelson for his email alerting me to this thread started by Paul with his kind thoughts.
Thank you all for your kind words and prayers. I am really humbled. I pray to the Almighty to accept similar prayers, many folds, for you and your families.
It just happened from nowhere in the 1st week of February. There was no pre-warning at all in any part of my body on that day or before and it happened just like a bulb switched off. I was helping my grandson putting a strudel in the toaster and still don't remember what I did with the strudel an if I fell or just slumped down to the ground. My grand children alerted grandmother telling her that grandpa is on the ground talking funny (slurred). My good wife called 911 and the ambulance came within about 15 minutes. Luckily we have Eastern Ontario Stroke Centre very close by. They administered PTA (clot buster) but it did not work in my case so the doctors asked my family consent for an intrusive surgery to remove the clot from the right side of my brain telling them frankly the risk associated with this operation and also the risk associated with delay since every minute delay could add to the residual disability or worse. I am glad my family was brave and gave consent for surgical operation promptly. So the clot was physically removed on the first try in one piece most probably within 2.5 to 3 hours after the onset of the stroke. After the operation when taken to an intensive care room, I realized the first time some chatter around my bed and I thought I was in my home but was told that everything will be OK and that I was in the hospital.
I was discharge from the hospital after a week and the doctor told me that it was a massive stroke and it appears to be followed by a massive recovery. With gratitude to the Almighty and thanks to all those who prayed then and now, I believe I have all body motoring intact and no obvious residual impairment left except physical weakness that will go away as soon as I seen green buds on my fig plants when taken outside I know that for sure (last night it was -9C outside!). My one concern is moving 5 and 7 gallon pots. I think I can help myself with 5 gallon pots but will be getting help with the 7-gallon ones. I don't have any bigger pots. I will be careful not to aggravate things.
In January 2010, in sympathy with a person who had posted an advertisement in Kijiji, who wanted to dispose off a collection of orchids because of illness of her husband or bereavement. I posted the following in F4F forum in case there was anyone interested in acquiring some good arched from the collection.
http://figs4funforum.websitetoolbox.com/post/The-future-of-our-figs-collections-4443593
So, while in the in the intensive care recovery room, many thought came to my mind about my fig collection, seeing in my imagination all plant in the pots placed on the curb side for garden waste collection, or distributed by my children to their friends some taking it willingly and some taking it reluctantly to please or dried up until they get to it. I have family members who like eating figs but have little interest in growing them.
Well I am thankful to the Almighty God, I got some more time to enjoy my passion with fig plants and every activity associated with growing figs put very nicely here(http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/fig/msg0322073226658.html) and that including , above all, knowing you all as good fig friends and well wishers that I learned so much from.
I thank you all and wish you well (healthy, wealthy .. and you are already wise since you are growing figs) and hope that you enjoy your figs, in good health, this year and all the years to come. Forgive me but I mentioned the details and my thoughts because I thought of you as my other family.