It’s been a long road back for David Tulugak, 58, of Rankin Inlet since suffering a stroke on Oct. 2, 2017.
The computer tech was employed at the IT lab in Rankin Inlet for the Government of Nunavut (GN) when the stroke occurred.
Tulugak said he was home at the time when he felt a strong tingling sensation while also getting extremely restless.
He said his wife, Marlene, feared he was having a stroke and insisted he go to the Kivalliq Regional Health Centre immediately.
“They did some tests and were waiting for the results when the stroke hit me,” said Tulugak. “My right side became completely useless. Today I can still hardly use my right arm but I am starting to walk a bit more now.
“I was on medical leave for 18 months, but wasn’t making any progress. I had started walking a bit but still could not get any use out of my right arm, so I asked to retire for medical reasons.”
Tulugak first started with the government on Sept. 27, 1993, and remained with the GN until suffering the stroke in 2017.
He said the health condition has changed many aspects of his life. He misses going to work every day and can get frustrated by how limited he is now in what he’s able to do.
“I can’t even crack an egg anymore, nor make any of my own meals. I depend on my wife for so much now.
“I try to keep up with my daily exercises, such as lifting my legs, and I can move my arms around while I’m in bed, but, when I’m standing up, I have no use of my arm at all.”
Tulugak does manage a bit of a chuckle as he talks about learning to write his own name using his left hand.
He said whenever he has to write his name with his left hand, he just laughs at himself.
“It’s like I’m having to learn to write all over again.
“It can be hard, at times, not to dwell on wishing I could do all the things I used to be able to do before.
“I get mad at myself, at times, because I blame myself for the position I’m in now. A good part of that is how often I chose not to listen to my wife when she’d encourage me to eat healthier and take my high-blood-pressure medication every day.
“She’s been so supportive of me, so I try to do all I can to help her out, like doing the laundry and washing the dishes from time to time.”
Tulugak had a long career as a hockey official which, he said, he misses so much it can often be difficult for him to go to the arena to watch hockey without getting mad at what he sees on the ice.
He said he misses being a part of the game more than he can put into words.
“Sometimes I think of myself as disabled but I correct myself and think, no, I’m not permanently disabled. Things have just slowed down for me right now but, eventually, I will get better.
“I have to keep believing that.
“Once in awhile I still get mad at myself but I’m starting to cope with it. My grandkids are happy to see me when they’re here.
“My wife has been most supportive of me and my grandkids help around the house when they’re here, which makes me feel good inside.”
Tulugak said it’s difficult to find himself in this position, but he’s becoming less embarrassed by not being able to do things he’s always been able to.
He said his grandkids miss him always being funny and that pulls on his heartstrings from time to time.
“It can be really hard some days — days when I go into the room when nobody’s home and shed a tear from time to time. I tell myself I’ll get over this and start hoping for better days ahead.
“I don’t know where I’d be right now if my family hadn’t been so supportive, especially my wife.
“I’m just doing what I can and waiting for the day when I have more balance, more use of my right side and can start doing some of the things from my past.
“My wife, kids and grandkids are all OK and that’s the most important thing in my life right now.”
ᐊᑯᓂ ᒪᒥᓴᕐᓂᖃᖅᐳᖅ ᑕᐃᕕᑎ ᑐᓗᒐᖅ, 58-ᓂᒃ ᐅᑭᐅᓕᒃ, ᑲᖏᖅᖠᓂᕐᒥᐅᑕᖅ ᖃᕋᓴᖓᑎᒍᑦ ᖄᕈᔾᔨᓂᑯ ᐅᑐᐱᕆ 2, 2017-ᒥᑦ.
ᐃᖃᓇᐃᔭᖃᓚᐅᖅᓯᒪᕗᖅ ᖃᕋᓴᐅᔭᓕᕆᓂᕐᒥᒃ ᓄᓇᕗᑦ ᒐᕙᒪᒃᑯᓐᓂᑦ ᐱᕈᓗᐊᕿᒋᑎᓪᓗᒍ..
ᑐᓗᒐᖅ ᐅᖃᖅᐳᖅ ᐊᖏᕋᖅᓯᒪᑎᓪᓗᒍ ᑲᑭᓚᓇᖅᓯᓕᕐᓂᖅᐳᖅ ᑎᒥᐊᒍᑦ ᓄᖃᖓᔪᓐᓇᐃᓕᓪᓗᓂᓗ.
ᐅᖃᖅᐳᖅ ᓄᓕᐊᖓᑕ ᒪᔪᐊᖁᒐᒥᐅᒃ ᐊᓂᐊᕐᕕᖕᒧᖓᐅᓕᓚᐅᖅᐳᖅ ᐱᖏᒋᓪᓗᓂᒡᔪᒡᓗ ᐅᐃᓂ, ᑭᕙᓪᓕ ᐊᓂᐊᕐᕕᖕᒧᑦ ᒪᔪᐊᓯᑲᐅᑎᒋᓪᓗᓂ.
ᖃᐅᔨᓴᖅᑕᐅᓂᖃᓚᐅᖅᑑᒐᓗᐊᖅ, ᐅᑕᕿᑎᓪᓗᑕ ᓇᓗᓇᐃᖅᓯᒪᔪᒥᒃ ᖃᕋᓴᖓᓂᒃ ᖄᖅᑐᖃᓚᐅᖅᐳᖅ. ᐅᖃᖅᐳᖅ ᑐᓗᒐᖅ. ᑕᓕᖅᐱᒐ ᐊᑐᕈᓐᓇᐃᓕᓚᐅᖅᐳᖅ. ᓱᓕ ᑕᓕᖅᐱᒐ ᐊᑐᕈᓐᓇᑎᐊᖏᑕᕋ ᑭᓯᐊᓂᓕ ᐱᓱᒍᓐᓇᕐᓕᕐᓂᖅᓴᐅᕗᖓ.
ᐃᖃᓇᐃᔮᓐᓂᑦ ᓄᖃᖓᓚᐅᖅᓯᒪᕗᖓ ᐱᔾᔪᑎᒋᓪᓗᒍ 18 ᑕᖀᖕᓄᑦ, ᑭᓯᐊᓂᓕ ᐱᐅᓯᕙᓪᓕᐊᖏᓐᓇᒪ ᐱᓱᐊᕐᔪᒍᓐᓇᖅᓯᒐᓗᐊᖅᖢᖓ ᑭᓯᐊᓂᓕ ᑕᓕᒐ ᓴᓈᓐᓂᑦ ᓄᖃᕆᐊᖃᓕᓚᐅᖅᐳᖓ ᐊᔪᕈᑎ ᐱᔾᔪᑎᒋᓪᓗᒍ.
ᑐᓗᒐᖅ ᐃᖃᓇᐃᔭᓯᒋᐊᓚᐅᖅᓯᒪᕗᖅ ᒐᕙᒪᒃᑯᓐᓄᑦ ᓯᑎᐱᕆ 27, 1993, ᐃᖃᓇᐃᔭᐃᓐᓇᖅᖢᓂᓗ ᑕᐃᒪᖓᑦ ᑭᓯᐊᓂ ᐱᕈᓗᐊᕿᐊᓪᓚᓚᐅᖅᖢᓂ ᓄᖃᕆᐊᖃᓕᓚᐅᖅᓯᒪᕗᖅ 2017-ᒥ.
ᐅᖃᖅᐳᖅ ᐃᓄᓯᖓ ᐊᓯᔾᔨᓚᐅᖅᓯᒪᕗᖅ ᓇᐅᑯᑐᐃᓐᓇᖅ. ᖃᐅᑕᒪᑦ ᐃᖃᓇᐃᔭᖃᑦᑕᕐᓂᖅ ᐃᖃᐅᒪᓇᕆᕙᖓ ᓴᐃᒪᓇᖏᓚᐅᑲᖕᓇᖅᐸᒃᖢᓂ ᐱᔪᓐᓇᖏᓐᓂᕐᒥᓂᒃ.
ᒪᓐᓂᖕᓂᑦ ᖄᖅᓯᔪᓐᓇᐃᓕᕗᖓᓘᓐᓃᑦ, ᐅᕙᓘᓐᓂᑦ ᓂᖅᖠᐅᕈᓇᐃᓕᕗᖓ, ᑭᓯᐊᓂ ᓄᓕᐊᕐᒪ ᐱᔾᔪᑎᓲᕆᕙᖓ.
ᖃᐅᑕᒪᑦ ᐃᖃᐃᓕᓴᕋᓱᒃᐸᒃᑲᓗᐊᖅᑐᖓ ᓂᐅᒐ ᖁᒻᒧᒃᑕᖅᑎᖦᖢᒍ, ᑕᓕᒃᑲᓗ ᐊᐅᓚᔪᓐᓇᓕᖅᖢᑎᒃ ᐃᒡᓕᕐᒥᑎᓪᓗᖓ, ᑭᓯᐊᓂ ᓇᖏᖅᑎᓪᓗᖓ, ᑕᓕᒃᑲ ᐊᐅᓚᔾᔭᒍᓐᓇᖏᑉᐴᒃ.
ᑐᓗᒐᖅ ᑎᔅᓯᑦᑕᕈᔪᒃᖢᓂ ᐅᖃᐅᓯᖃᖅᐳᖅ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕐᓂᕐᒥᓂᒃ ᐊᑎᓂ ᑎᑎᕋᕆᐊᒃᓴᖅ ᓴᐅᒥᒃᑯᑦ. ᐅᖃᖅᐳᖅ ᐊᑎᓂ ᑎᑎᕋᓕᕋᖓᒥᐅᒃ ᓴᐅᒥᐊᒍᑦ ᑎᔅᓯᒋᕙᒃᐳᖅ ᓇᖕᒥᓂᖅ.
ᓲᕐᓗᓕ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᓕᓵᒃᑲᓂᖅᑐᖓ ᑎᑎᕋᕐᓂᕐᒥᒃ. ᐃᓛᓐᓂᒃᑯᑦ ᐊᔪᕐᓇᓚᐅ)ᖅ ᐃᓱᒪᒋᓗᐊᖏᑦᑕᕆᐊᒃᓴᖅ ᐱᔪᓐᓇᕐᓂᕆᓚᐅᖅᓯᒪᔭᖓ.
ᐅᕙᓐᓂᒃ ᐊᑲᕆᕙᖏᑉᐳᖓ ᐃᓚᓐᓂᒃᑯᑦ, ᐅᕙᓐᓂᑐᐊᑦᑎᐊᖑᓇᓱᒋᕙᒃᐸᕋ ᑕᐃᒪᐃᑦᑐᖓ. ᐊᑲᐅᓂᖃᐳᖅ ᐃᓛᓐᓂᒃᑯᑦ ᓄᓕᐊᕋ ᓇᓚᒃᐸᖏᓐᓇᒃᑯ ᐅᖃᐅᔾᔨᖅᓱᐃᓕᕋᖓᒥ ᓂᕆᑎᐊᕐᔪᒥᖁᓪᓗᓂᖓ ᐊᒪᓗ ᐊᐅᒃᓯᐅᑎᓂᑦ ᐃᔭᒐᑦᑎᐊᕐᓗᖓ ᖃᐅᑕᒪᑦ.
ᐃᑲᔪᖅᑎᒋᓇᐅᔭᖅᐸᕋ, ᐃᑲᔪᕈᓐᓇᕋᖓᒪ ᐃᑲᔪᖅᐸᒃᐸᕋ ᓂᕐᕆᓯᓂᒃ, ᐊᓂᕋᓂᒡᓗ ᐅᐊᓴᐃᓂᖅ.
ᑐᓗᒐᖅ Hᐊᑭᖅᑎᐅᑯᑖᓚᐅᖅᓯᒪᖕᒪᑦ , ᐅᖃᖅᐳᖅ ᐃᖃᐅᒪᖃᑦᑕᕕᒡᔪᐊᕐᓂᕐᒥᓂᒃ ᐱᖑᐊᕐᓂᖅ ᓂᖓᓇᕈᔪᒃᐸᓵᖅᐸᒃᖢᓂᓗ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐊᔪᕐᓇᖅᐸᒃᖢᓂ ᓯᐊᕆᔮᕐᕕᓕᐊᕆᐊᒃᓴᖅ ᖁᖏᐊᕆᐊᕐᓗᓂ Hᐊᑭᖅᑐᓂᒃ.
ᐅᖃᕈᓐᓇᖏᓚᖅ ᖃᓄᑎᒋ ᐱᖑᐊᕈᒪᓕᕋᓗᐊᕐᓂᕐᒥᓂᒃ.
ᐃᓚᓂᒃᑯ ᐃᓱᒪᕙᒃᐳᖓ ᐊᔪᕈᓐᓂᑲᓐᓂᕐᓂᖅ, ᐅᕙᓐᓂᒃ ᐅᒃᐱᕆᓇᕋᓱᒃᐸᒃᐳᖓ ᐊᔪᕈᑎᖃᕐᓂᓐᓂᒃ, ᐊᔪᓕᑦᑎᐊᒪᕆᒃᓯᒪᖏᓇᒪ ᓱᑲᐃᓵᑐᐃᓐᓇᖅᑐᖓ ᒪᓇᐅᔪᖅ, ᐱᔪᓐᓇᖅᓯᓚᕐᒥᔪᖓ.
ᐃᓐᐱᒋᓐᓇᕆᐊᖃᖅᑕᕋ ᑖᓐᓇ. ᐃᓚᓂᒃᑯᑦ ᓂᖓᓚᐅᑲᖃᑦᑕᖅᐳᖓᐅᒐᓗᐊᖅ ᑭᓯᐊᓂᓕ ᐊᓕᐊᓇᐃᒍᓱᒃᐳᖓ ᐃᒃᓯᕚᕈᓐᓇᖅᓯᕙᓪᓕᐊᒐᒪ, ᐃᖑᑕᒃᑲᓗ ᖁᕕᐊᓱᒃᖢᑎᒃ ᖃᐃᓯᒪᓕᕋᖓᑕ.
ᓄᓕᐊᕋ ᐃᑲᔪᕐᑎᒋᕐᔪᐊᖏᓐᓇᕋᒃᑯ ᐃᖑᑕᒃᑲᓗ ᐃᑲᔪᖅᐸᒃᖢᑎᒃ ᓴᓗᒻᒪᖅᓴᐃᓂᕐᒥᒃ, ᑕᒪᓐᓇ ᐃᓗᒃᑯᑦ ᖁᕕᐊᓱᒍᑎᒋᕙᕋ.
ᑐᓗᒐᖅ ᐅᖃᖅᐳᖅ ᐊᔪᕐᓇᖅᐸᖕᒪᑦ ᑕᑯᓪᓗᓂ ᑕᐃᒪᐃᓂᖓᓂ, ᑭᓯᐊᓂ ᑲᖑᓱᒍᓐᓂᖅᐸᓪᓕᐊᕗᖅ ᐊᔪᕈᑎᒋᕙᒃᑕᒥᓂᒃ. ᐅᖃᖅᐳᖅ ᐃᖃᐅᒪᔭᐅᕙᒃᐸᖕᒪᑦ ᐃᖑᑕᖏᓐᓄᑦ, ᑎᔅᓯᓇᕿᓱᖑᖕᒪᑦ ᐅᒪᑎᒥᓄᑦ ᐃᖢᐊᖅᐳᖅ.
ᐃᓚᓂᑯᑦ ᐊᔪᕐᓇᖅᐸᒃᑐᒐᓗᐊᖅ - ᐃᒡᓗᕈᓯᓐᓄᖢᖓ ᐃᓄᑐᓕᕋᖓᒪ ᖁᕝᕕᐅᖅᐸᒃᐳᖓ. ᐅᕙᓂᒃ ᐅᖃᖅᐸᒃᖢᖓ ᑕᒪᓐᓇ ᐊᓂᒍᕐᓂᐊᕐᒥᔪᖅ ᐃᒃᐱᒋᔭᕋ.
ᓇᓗᕗᖓ ᓇᓂᓇᔭᕐᒪᖓᕐᒪ ᐅᓪᓗᒥ ᐃᓚᒃᑲ ᐃᑲᔪᖅᑎᒋᓚᐅᖏᒃᑯᒃᑭᑦ, ᓄᓕᐊᕋ ᐱᓗᐊᕕᒃᑐᒥᒃ.
ᐱᔪᓐᓇᖅᑕᒃᑲ ᐊᑐᑐᐃᓐᓇᖅᐸᒃᑲ ᐊᔪᕈᓐᓂᑲᓐᓂᓚᕆᐊᖅᓴᓐᓂᑦ ᐅᑕᕿᓪᓗᖓ, ᐱᓕᕆᔪᓐᓇᖅᓯᒃᑲᓐᓂᕐᓗᖓᓗ ᐱᓕᕆᕙᓚᐅᖅᑕᓐᓂᑦ.
ᓄᓕᐊᕋ, ᕿᑐᖓᒃᑲ, ᐃᖑᑕᑲᓗ ᖃᓄᐃᖏᓱᖓᖅᐸᑕ ᐱᒻᒪᕆᐅᒋᕙᕋ.