Dear Friends and Fellow Advocates,
I’m sorry to tell you all that Paul had a stroke on Wednesday afternoon and, as you might expect, our advocacy work, including this blog, has come to a halt. For now. Though it was a serious stroke and gave us a big scare, Paul is much better already and is expected to make a full recovery over time. We were able to rush him to the hospital and get him the stroke drug within an hour. He was then airlifted to Albuquerque and had a successful procedure to remove the clot on Wednesday evening.
His older son Josh and I spent the day with him at the hospital yesterday and he’s already made great improvements! He’s asking for his laptop so he can communicate directly with friends and return to his blog-writing soon. It will take some time for him to fully recuperate, and I am going to do my best to try to get him to slow down from his usual pace, but it won’t be easy!
I’m publishing this post today so that the reason for the pause in our work is clear. And luckily it will be just that – a pause, not an ending. We feel blessed and immensely grateful that Paul is doing so well. Whew!
I want to tell you how much we appreciate the enthusiasm and commitment of all of you who dedicate your time and energy to protecting and uplifting the people, the communities, and the environment of our beautiful state. We look forward to continuing to inform, engage, and collaborate with all of you for many years into the future. There is still so much work to do, and when we all join together in our commitment to social, racial, economic, and environmental justice, our accomplishments can be transformational.
I encourage you to send your comments and well-wishes to Paul by responding to this post below. He loves to hear from you!
In gratitude, solidarity, and hope,
Roxanne
Categories: Uncategorized
Oh Paul, I’m so sorry to hear you had a stroke. It’s so excellent that Roxanne & Josh were there to act fast at that critical time. I’m definitely not sending you thoughts and prayers. But I am thinking about you.
Sending both of you all the good juju. You guys are so important for New Mexico!!
Paul,
Please take all the time needed for a full recovery. Thanks for all you do for New Mexico.
Annie
You are in our daily meditations and thoughts and wishes. Take good care, all of you!
You, whose life work is healing the ills of the world is now challenged to heal thyself. Know that good wishes and actions from us and many others support ALL of that healing. Also, know that while “it is hard to hold a good man (or women) down” the practice of patience (by the patient) is a healing force (surely that’s a quote from some famous person). Looking to the future with you.
Dee & George
Wow – how scary. I am so sorry. Slow down and take good care.
I think back to meeting you and Roxanne at the community room in the public library, when you first presented supporting Bernie for president…. and how you two pulled us together. Networking and grounding. I am grateful for your presence in this world Paul. Be strong, breathe deeply, and know that you are loved.
That was my first meeting of each of you—Paul, Roxanne, Bobbe. And here we are now: Bobbe, me, Debra Oliver, Rae Domenico & Barbara Conroy meeting every 2 weeks as a CIRCLE. Inspired to come together for our spiritual and activist needs. Sending you much power from our CIRCLE. with love in our solidarity, Lynn
I’m so glad to hear that you got swift treatment and are on the mend so soon. This is a great opportunity to let you both know how thankful I am for all that you do. Sending love and healing energy.
I’m grateful for your work and wish you a quick recovery and a long healthy life.
Wow! So great you were able to respond quickly, and are on the path to a complete recovery.
Best wishes, my thoughts are with you both.
Oh wow and I’m glad to hear you’re already doing better, Paul.
I want to say, first and foremost, thank goodness that you got medical attention as quickly as you did and that you will be able to make a good recover. Secondly,Because of your passion and your commitment, you put everyone else before you and we thank you for it, but now it is time for you. You have given so much and done so much to educate and motivate so many people. And I thank you for that.Take care and I hope you have a speedy recovery.
In Solidarity,
Scotti
Oh no. My eyes fill with tears. Unbelievable! Medevac… and now you’re going to recover with time and patience. All in a day of Paul and Roxanne’s life. Breathe… surrender… heal.
Paul, I wish you a quick and easy recovery. The work you and Roxanne do is so important to our community and our state. Be gentle with yourself.
Dear Paul, so glad you got help right away and that you’re already feeling better. Sending healing vibes and much love, Margaret Lubalin
Sending love.
As we say in Spanish: No te apures para que dures! (Don’t rush so you may last.)
What a shocker! Paul, we like hearing from you, but please don’t push it. Your health is of the utmost importance.
What a shocker, Paul! Your voice is so important to so many of us, but your health is of the utmost Importance, so don’t push it.
With deep gratitude for all you and Roxanne do for our beloved New Mexico and with love and best wishes for a complete recovery. Time for some self care and to know that you are much loved and appreciated. – Consuelo
So glad you got swift treatment and that it’s looking good. Take some time to slow down and heal. We need you, your energy,your ideas, your ability to see through a smoke screen, and your courage in these trying times. Get well soon, Don
Wishing you a speedy and full recovery. Message to Roxanne—you are lucky to have the whole. Community on Team Paul. Give your self space for refueling when you can.
My God! I am so grateful you are alive! Please please please slow down. The sheer collective trauma you deal with daily is too much! I am so grateful for you both … you are human treasures.
OMG, you guys are our political foundation. Get better Paul!!! Thank you for everything you have done, now take some well deserved rest. We’ll let NEE take over on PNM, incredible work on their part too.
Healing Blessings. So glad you got the medical help you needed and the clot is out.
Dear Paul and Roxanne, Please take all the time you need to fully recover from this scary experience! You are both precious treasures, and it’s just fine to be offline for awhile. Many blessings to you both.
100% Correct
Cheering you & yr healing on from the sidelines! I’ve greatly appreciated the Retake blogs & radio show you (& Roxanne) have done over the last few years & look forward to seeing what the new organization accomplishes in the next 5-10 years.
Consider getting an acupuncturist if you don’t have one, TCM has been proven to be very helpful as part of stroke recovery. Hang in there, you got this!
Very sorry to hear Paul … and Roxanne. Here is wishing you a speedy recovery and return to your splendid work that so many of us depend on for intelligent information and direction.
I have had some issues myself, well in the past now, and know that a measured pace of recovery is the way back. One step at a time will return you to the mountain top.
Very highest and warmest regards.
James Stewart
Paul, you scared all of us and we are so relieved you’re back and want your computer to boot.. although take it easy. Look forward to supporting your and Roxanne’s work and our personal comradeship in so many things from food to kids to politics to food and fun. Love, Jeff and Mariel
Sorry. Glad to know that he is beginning to recover.
Paul, Best wishes for a full and rapid recovery! You and Roxanne both mean so much to so many of us. Please take all the time and steps you need to return to health. You both have had a tremendous, positive impact on New Mexico, not the least of which was teaching us by your example how to engage the most important issues of our time. All of the rest of us who read or listen to your work should commit to step up our efforts battle climate change, racism, inequality, and the many other ills and challenges we face!
Wishing you a swift and complete recovery!
So sorry and shocked to read this! Lighting a candle for your miraculous healing and full recovery. I guess you need a good rest. I am deeply grateful for all that you and Roxanne do for New Mexico!
Dear Paul and Roxanne,
I am so grateful that you are doing better so quickly, Paul, and that Roxanne has kept us informed.
One bit of wisdom from my perspective…in this present moment, you need to gather your power and focus for action and change for a better world and place it in your own court to support your healing.
Holding you both in my heart,
Linda
Do whatever you need to do to get better and come back strong!
Paul and Roxanne,
There is nothing more important than your health. Sending healing energy to you. Please take time for self care.
Glad to hear that you are doing better. Our hopes and prayers are with you. Devin and Judy
Much Love and Care – Take your full share!
Yikes! Please take care of yourself and rest up. Sending you both all the best!
Dear Paul and Roxanne,
I, like so many others, wish you a speedy recovery. Do take all the time you need to recover fully. And take time to enjoy each other, sunsets, wild flowers. There are many of us carrying on the good work. We look foward to welcoming you back to the work when you are ready.
Elizabeth
Best wishes for a speedy recvov recovery!
Dear Paul,
Wishing you the best, including a full recovery.
Bob Josephs, VFP
Sending my best wishes for a full recovery.
Sending healing wishes to Paul who I recognize as a NM “gem”. I’m a “newcomer” to the Retake our Democracy community and have been inspired. Thanks Roxanne for the update and your future caregiving. Salud, Janet
Many thanks to Roxanne, first for your quick response to get Paul to the hospital so quickly as, of course, you just would. Also for letting us know what happened by balancing the moist essential parts—yes, the stroke was serious and yes, Paul improved already.
And Paul, you’ve already modeled reevaluating and readjusting the course you’ve been on as needed, like most recently adjusting your blog schedule. This is exactly the skill set required and now even more so. You are so deeply aware of how much needs to be improved in the world right now and of finding ways to do it. Maybe now you need to let the world take care of itself for a while. It’ll still be here when you’re ready. Refocusing is always so interesting.
Scary to have a stroke, Paul, but very glad to know you are improving. You’ve done so much: we need you back at full strength!
Oh my gosh good news you are still with us bad news it happened. Your zeal for life will help you through these troubling times. Be well soon you are greatly missed. We
Paul, I’m wishing you a full recovery. We need your leadership, vision and organizing.
Pia
Take care Paul. Let Roxanne take care of you. And remember that she will getting a crash course in Caregiver 101, so she will need someone to look after her, tooo.
Once more my complacency is shattered by this news. Please urge deep recovery and healing rest and know that there is a small cabin in the woods that is available if you two wish to unplug.
Paul, so glad to hear you are already making a speedy recovery. Obviously, you may need to consider slowing down just a tad! Thank you and Roxanne for all you do to educate the citizens of New Mexico!
Take care of yourself first and foremost! Your health is more important than all the rest.
We’ll have to continue on while thinking “What would Paul do?”
Wishing you good health!