Of strokes and pillow talk

Two news stories caught my eye in the past couple of days. The Pennsylvania U.S. Senate debate and the story about the My Pillow Guy and Trump supporter, Mike Lindell.

First, Pennsylvania. I won’t even begin to try to dissect the response Republican Dr. Mehmet Oz gave on abortion. That’ll be torn apart enough but let me just say, as a man, I don’t want “local political leaders” involved in a decision on whether a woman gets an abortion. It’s not only wrong, it’s icky to even think about -- I picture a local politician in the room with the doctor and the woman. I trust the woman making the decision, with medical advice from her doctor.

What caught my eye more in that debate is the criticism Democrat John Fetterman is getting for his "awkward" performance, brought on entirely by the after-effects from the stroke he suffered earlier this year.

Let me get personal, I’ve had two strokes, one when I turned 50 that caused no noticeable damage but was a warning about the second stroke, which came five years later. That one, while far from as serious as the one Fetterman suffered, did come with after effects that required speech therapy. I, and any other stroke sufferer I’m sure, can empathize with what he’s going through.

In my case, after a couple of days in the hospital to be monitored, I was released and told I needed speech therapy. I wasn’t sure why since my thoughts were clear as they were the day before I had the stroke. My thinking and thought process were exactly the same. But, I was told I wasn't articulating my clear internal thoughts well to others.

I stumbled over words, forgot words and, when shown flash cards of a horse or a house, in some cases I couldn't pull the word from my memory to identify it. Separate from my speech, I also got exhausted mid-day, so tired I needed to rest and couldn’t work. 

I didn’t go back to work for about six months as I recovered and did the speech therapy. Six months. And I had what is called a mild stroke. It could have been far worse and I’m grateful that even today, almost 20 years later, the only remnants I have from my stroke is a weaker than it was right hand, and difficulty sometimes swallowing.

Fetterman’s was more serious than mine but he looks good and is keeping up a busy campaign schedule. I hurt each time I saw him struggle or repeat words when he responded to answers the other night. But he told us that would be the case. And, clearly, it was the case. Fetterman is a big man physically and a clear presence when he enters a room with his size and his tattoos.

I have no doubt his struggles with clear and easy speaking these days is frustrating to him. It sure was for me. But, after my speech therapy and recovery, I was fine. With work. He’s doing his recovery work in full view and and he is being judged by it from voters and pundits.

So, disagree with his positions on issues, but don’t doubt that his mind is clear and thinking well even though, temporarily, he has difficulty clearly speaking his thoughts sometimes.

The other story that caught my eye is a New York Times piece today on the My Pillow Guy and his continuing not only to spread conspiracy theories especially about the 2020 election but other crazy thoughts. Oh, and continuing to sell pillows.

Let’s remember, Lindell is a very good salesman and marketer, just like his BFF Donald Trump. He is also an equally effective liar. But that’s another story. There was a time that My Pillow advertised itself as being able to cure insomnia and other health conditions. The company was sued over the claims and ultimately settled a lawsuit for misleading advertising.

In those days it was mainly through one of those late-night infomercials, starring Lindell, that his product was sold. You remember them. A pitchman (Lindell) in front of an “audience” that ooo’s and ahhh’s over his pitch and video inserts showing, of course, very happy customers.

Consumer Reports tested the pillow. It found that it was a good pillow but also learned that  “our panel of sleep testers noted that they could feel the foam chunks when sleeping on the pillow, a somewhat unpleasant sensation.”

It also found of the premium and regular versions that “after we placed an evenly distributed 225-pound weight on each of these pillows in a room set to 98.6° F (to mimic body heat) and 80 percent humidity for 96 hours, neither one  was great at regaining its shape, which means you may have to replace a My Pillow often.”   

Don’t get me wrong, it sounds like it’s a fine pillow, but not unlike other pillows you can buy for less. If you bought one and it works, great! Mostly, though, it’s marketing.

My Pillow sells for $49.95 but, good marketer that he is, Lindell offers “promo codes” that can reduce that to $19.95.

Lindell also sells conferences around the country not on pillows but on politics where conspiracy theories are shared, and I’m guessing, expanded on. These sometimes are broadcast by niche networks.

In one such presentation, the Times reports, Mr. Lindell “bounded on stage and said, 'by the way, if you’re watching from home use that promo code: Truth45.'”

That wasn’t political talk, it was Pillow talk.