Gummi Bear??

The other day I saw this girl on the subway and I couldn't help but to try and sneak a pic.
After many tries and a with major zoom from my less than perfect cell camera...I got it.
Here she is...know who this reminds me of?
Anyone? Anyone?

"I bet you never smelled a real school bus before... Gummi bear? It's been in my pocket; they're real warm and soft."

I certainly couldn't stop laughing to myself! Was it because she still had the major 80's glasses, haircut, and wardrobe? Was it thinking of the many times I've watched this movie with my sister as we quote along? Was it then thinking of the many moments I've spent with my sister just laughing for no reason at all?
Probably...all of the above.

I also knew it certainly was a good thing that my sister was not with me on the subway, we would've laughed like little girls do in church when they're not supposed to be laughing...
And I definitely knew it reminded me of how much I love my sister & how she's always been there for me to laugh and laugh and laugh with thru good and bad.

Didn't think this blog was gonna get all sappy...

but I LOVE MY SISTER!!!!

postscript: this blog was actually named with my dear sis and our fun times in mind...

Just call me Andy Millman...

Andy Millman is my name

being an 'extra' is certainly not my main game....

but! I have started doing it a wee bit.

I've always been intrigued by the world of film and TV and doing extra work is a nice way to weazel your way into it to learn...and get paid!

With it though, goes the professional extra's.
(there's even a documentary about them)

Me oh my...they are some characters.

Here's the honorable mentions (and only after 2 days):

-the guy who with every conversation found ways to tell me all about all of his extra work. what he did, who he ran into, and what movie he was 'in'

-the gal who spoke of all of the 'roles' the casting director called her for, that she missed. all the while, talking loud enough so that everyone in holding could hear her (tho the 'roles' she spoke of were those like: gal at the bar, woman with stroller, things like that...)

-and of course there are the many who 'compete' with one another to be in just the right spot so the camera can see them pantomiming just perfectly

-and those who pretty much just drool over seeing the famous actor we are working with (instead of remembering that said famous person is a just human being and that, yes, we can talk to them like regular humans)

and my favorite of them all...

-the gentleman who was Indian and was proud to tell me that "because he was Indian" one of his "dream roles [as an extra and as an Indian]" was to be a terrorist on 24.  wow.

yes, of course there are those of us that are there to learn, to get some on set experience, and to maybe just maybe become BFF's with the PA. Who maybe just maybe like you lots and want to use you more. And then maybe just maybe you'll be in the right spot at the right time...and maybe just maybe they'll want to give you a line or 2...

yes, this would be super cool...a gal can dream....

And of course, I also have to admit that I did enjoy my brief interaction with Jeff Goldblum where he had me read a script with him that he was working on.  This lasted all of 2 minutes, but yes, it was fun.  :)

I am certainly loving the experience and the things I'm learning on set, yet I have no intention of becoming an professional extra.

But maybe just maybe...I may become BFF's with the PA and who knows....????

until then, look for the blur walking by on Law and Order. 

Overheard on the Subway...

A conversation I overheard on the subway train today...
Man on his phone:
"Hey man! What's up!?
Yeah, I'm late. Sorry.
Train...Ya know!!!?
Yeah, Yeah, I'll be there soon though!
In about 45 minutes or so."

45 minutes!?
"soon" ???
really?

OH, the Subway

In the last week on the MTA Subway System I saw:

a young woman who was inside the tunnel,
forgot her umbrella was up.

a man carrying a saw...creepy!

What is a Patent Foramen Ovale???

A Patent Fo-what O-What?
A Patent Foramen Ovale.
{pronounced PAY-tent fore-A-men O-val-eh}
What is a PFO??

First, there is the need to explain what the Foramen Ovale is  ::
When in the womb, our circulatory system works differently than when out.  We do not yet use our lungs when in the womb because we receive our vitamins & nourishment from our moms through the umbilical cord & placenta.  Since our circulatory system works differently at this stage, the Foramen Ovale is the small hole in the atrial septum (upper chambers of the heart) that allows the blood to circulate.
When we are born, the circulatory system changes.  The Foramen Ovale usually closes with our first big breath.  This breath causes the lungs to fill and thus causing Foramen Ovale to close because of the pressure of the circulatory system getting 'on track'.

BUT!
When the Foramen Ovale doesn’t close properly it is called a Patent Foramen Ovale (PFO).

This type of defect generally works like a flap valve, opening during certain conditions when there is more pressure inside the chest.  When the PFO is present it allows blood to take 'short cuts' through the heart. 

(See the image to the left for what the PFO looks like.)

Approximately 25-30% of the general population has a PFO (occasionally, it can be heard with a heart murmur).  Many people can live with a PFO without any problems.  But there is the possible risk of migraines, strokes, and the possibility of not being able to scuba dive.


resourses for this info:
--mostly, my brain and things I've learned in the past couple of years.  along with these links ::
--Foramen Ovale
--PFO
--Fetal Circulation

"Now Go Out & Change the World"

These are the words Dr. Oz spoke to me on Friday, February 26.  I went to a recording of his show and said hello to him when the taping was over...he remembered me.
He did my open heart surgery June 15, 2009.
I told him thank you.
I told him he did a fantastic job.
I told him I feel great.
He gave me a couple of hugs and then said "Now go out and change the world"
quite a big feat!
"change the WORLD!"
well, I don't know if I can change the entire world...but I sure can at least continue to share my story.

Today's Entry
young women can have a stroke
Yes, it can happen.
Strokes are not just for older folks or people who are overweight or smokers or those who have high blood pressure or are migraine sufferers...
I was 30 when I had my stroke.
I had no family history of stoke, blood clots, heart issues...none.
Yet, I had a stroke.
One huge contributing factor: birth control (along with my 'thick blood' that the doctors found after I had the stroke...why did they not test this before I took the pill!?)
Doctors are so quick to prescribe the pill that I feel that they don't ask all of the precautionary questions or even take any precationary tests at all before handing out this extemely powerful daily drug.  Since I had my stroke, I have heard more & more stories of young women who have also had a stroke because of birth control.  Some have died, some paralyzed, some were lucky like me & hardly have any residual effects. 
(Here is another woman's story...quite similar to mine. and another link to cnn.com on the same topic)
Awhile back, I was in one doctor's office and was talking to him about my stroke.  I got on my soapbox and mentioned "If only doctors would do all of the precautionary testing on women before prescribing such a powerful drug" and he said "What, we're supposed to test every single woman that goes on the pill!?" I replied "YES! save a few lives!"
However, in addition to doctors being more careful about prescribing any old thing to their patients...we as the patient need to be careful in letting them prescribe any old thing to us.
Take charge, know your body, do your research.

I will admit, I took the pill without doing all of the precautionary research for myself.  I assumed, like many of my friends and other millions of women who take it, that I would be fine.  That I was immune to the small print on the prescription info sheet.  Yet, I was only on the pill for a year and a half...then had a stroke.

I can't really tell you what to do with your body and what to put in it or not put in it....but I can raise awareness.  Just like knowing that we need to do 30 minutes of cardio and eat our fruits and veggies each day, we need to be aware of the fine print.

Know to take care of your body, know the warning signs of a stroke.  Tell your friends and neighbors...and be careful of what you put in your body.

I can not go back and change the past. 
I am a young woman who has had a stroke and open heart surgery.
I now share my story, I raise awareness, I will try and do as Dr. Oz has challenged me and "go out and change the world".

postscript: I am convinced that my mom is the only one that reads my blog and I really do appreciate it Mom!, but I'm curious if there are others out there...what are your thoughts, questions, stories?

She's Here & I'm STOKED!!!!!!

My dear sweet awesome loving faithful friend had her baby today.

I AM STOKED!!!!!!!!

Laura is her name.

She is awesome!

She is long.

She's gonna be so loved by so many and  her parents are gonna do a WONDERFUL job.

We love you Laura! 

Welcome to the world!

February 6, 2010

7:53am

YAY!

  

CONGRATS AMANDA AND LEE LOVE YOU GUYS!!!!!!

PS: for more pics check out Kate's blog.

And it's only January 13th!

Dear 2010,
thank you for beginning in the way you have, I can already tell you'll be WAY better than 2008 & 2009.
Thank you.
-I have not been to one doctor's appointment! (quite a change from last year at this time)
-I am in an acting class I have wanted to take for years. Now I can afford it, now I have the time, & now I am not in the hospital.
-Along with the improv theatre I've been with for almost 7 years, I am reviving the improvised dating game I created & produced 5 years ago. We will be doing a 'Valentine's Special' Show.
In NYC? come on out, Feb 12 @ 7pm.
-I am back at teaching improv (for now, just workshops)
-one of my best best dearest friends is due with her first in February

2010
you will be awesome
thank you for that.
I'm READY!
Thank you Lord!
2 Cor 5:17 "...the old has gone, the new has come!"

Don't Forget about February 5th

Folks
February 5th is National Wear Red Day.
Along with Go Red for Women, which is dedicated to "celebrating the energy, passion & power we have as women to band together to wipe out heart disease & stroke.", National Wear Red Day raises awareness to take control of our own health.
It starts with us.
Support the fight by wearing red on February 5th.
Help raise awareness, look for free check-ups in your area, go see a cadiologist (or mine, Dr. Kizer at New York Presbyterian-Cornell... LOVE HIM!), start eating better, work-out, take care of yourself to be a better, healthier you.
This movement is close to my heart, literally.
After having a stroke on May 25, 2008...the doctor's found I had a hole in my heart & I ended up having open heart surgery on June 15, 2009.
Many of us think that heart disease and any related heart issues are a man's thing or for someone older than 50. This is NOT true.
Wear red on Feburary 5th & do yourself a favor and go see a cardiologist...even if you think you're safe from heart disease, get checked.

A New Kind of Church Experience

I went to a church tonight to check out their mid-week service and had an experience like never before...

First of all, the church does not have their own building, so they meet in different locations throughout the city.
Tonight, they were at the Manhattan Center.  A building that hosts various events during the week, one being church.

I got off the subway (right at the corner, where the Manhattan Center is) and thought something might be up as I walked towards the venue.
There were many hippies in the street and on the sidewalk and you could smell the strong scent of marijuana as doobies filled the air with smoke.
stink.
I thought, maybe it was just a crew of college kids waiting to get back on the buses that lined the streets, yeah ignorance.  I just wasn't sure.

I walked closer to the venue and the crowds got bigger.
I walked up to one of the doors that looked like an entrance, asked the woman at the door if I was in the right place for church, she directed me to the doors a few yards down.
I made my way through the crowds, that got bigger as I progressed, towards the line, and proceeded through the barricades.
I thought, "wow! this is amazing! so many people showing up for church! and it's so crowded that they need security!"
(did I mention this was my first visit to this church and it's location?)

I went through security, they checked my bag, and asked if I had a ticket "huh? a ticket? for church?"
ok, then I def knew my ignorance was getting the best of me.
As the security guard asked for my ticket I said "for church?"
She looked at me, smiled, and pointed me in the direction of the door I had come from, the door where the first woman directed me to the line of barricades with security.
oh boy.
I finally made it back to the first door, asked the first lady if I was in the right spot for church and she apologized for thinking I was not there for church.
ahh....I was in.
I went inside, up the stairs and was ready to sit down.
Though, again, I was in the wrong place.
The smell of pot got stronger and the noise from whatever concert was there got louder.
Back down the stairs.
I once again went back to the lady (that kept directing me to the wrong places) and told her I had no clue where I was going.
duh.
She finally pointed me in the right direction, I was on the elevator headed to the eighth floor, and then in the Grand Ballroom.
now, I sat.
Church was awesome, the preacher was fantastic and I sat next to some lovely ladies.

Then, it was time to go!
Instead of taking the elevator back down (because there was only one for the many folks at the service) I decided to walk down the stairs...the smell of pot was really really strong as I went more and more flights down to ground level. The concert was in full force.
I made it to the ground level, saw the lady at the front door that had lead me with so many misdirected directions (some front door greeter she was), thanked her for her help, and made my way outside taking a big breath of fresh air.
Never once did I think I would go to church and have the stale stench of pot lingering on my clothes.

In the future...
I now know the Manhattan Center has two venues inside: the Grand Ballroom (where church was) and the Hammerstein Ballroom (where the concert was).

I also found out what the concert was...Joe Russo, whoever that is.
I enjoyed church and got my fill of some good preaching.
The concert attenders went to a show and got a whole other high.

Church like none other.

It's almost the end...

Last year I was SO SO happy to have '08 done & over with...after having had a stroke, the passing of my last grandparent, & a little catheter shoved up my groin to put in a wee little device.
ah, after all that 2008 was over.
yippee!

Little did I know what 2009 would entail:
-a major surgery that left a mark almost 10" long to remove said 'wee-little device'
-a nice little open heart surgery!
-months of recovery time
-& many many many hours fighting billing agents, hospitals, & insurance companies.
er, yay!?

praise ye the Lord 2009 is on it's way out.
bring it on 2010!!!

BUT! as I've been trying to focus on the good things...
this year has also been full of many blessings:
-Dr. Oz was my amazing, wonderful, kind, gracious, & compasionate doc for the open heart surgery. LOVE him.
-We moved into a new apartment; went to my college reunion, saw many lovely wonderful old friends, & showed Joel the beautiful place where I went to college; my bro-in-law got married
-spent many wonderful days with family & friends this year (many bittersweet because of the surgeries, but wonderful nontheless)
-took some trips to break up the recovery/between surgery time (including seeing Canada, Atlanta & the Grand Canyon for the first time)
-celebrated weddings & baby showers

Though an extremely rough year, I have been blessed.
The Good Lord has protected me.
I am still alive.
I have deeper friendships.
I know (more than ever) the stick by-ness, go into the trenches, love, encouragement, support, protection, care, blessing, loyalty, strength, prayers of so many around me.

Especially my amazing husband.
LOVE HIM!

May I not forget the good of 2009, yet I am so excited to have a new year, come on 2010!

Could've been 200 bucks richer

It's a good thing I'm an honest gal...

When at the laundromat there is an unspoken rule:

If the person using the machine before you does not come back for awhile to claim their goods you have the right to empty the machine out & put your stuff in.

Today this happened to me.

I waited for about 15-20 minutes after the dryer was done...waited...the woman did not come back.

So, I emptied her dryers & used them.

Upon emptying the dryer with many pairs of jeans,

I found $200 cash.

I'm assuming she didn't check the pockets before loading in the dirties?

I just stuffed the cash within the pile of clothes...what else to do?

But, she came back eventually (another 10 minutes later) & I told her what I found.

She was grateful.

Merry Christmas lady! & Happy Holidays!

Subway Observations...

The other day on the subway I saw:

-a woman strumming her guitar on the 7 train (in Queens) who I used to see ALL the time when I lived on the Upper West Side, 9 years ago.

-a homeless man helping a blind man onto the train

-a man on the platform tossing bread to the rats

yes, all on the same day.

all in a days work...

back to bloggin'

So, it's been quite some time since my last post ... where shall I begin:

**Joel & I moved into an awesome wonderful huge & lots-of-light-you-don't-need-to-turn-on-the-lights-til-it's-530 & close to Manhattan & dear friends & tree lined streets & cute stores & wonderful brunch places & a FARMERS MARKET! (yay) apartment.

WE

LOVE

IT!

this is the new living room! LOADS of sunlight

(last place was a cave, always had to have lights on)

& the kitchen, where I am inspired to now cook

(DEF a new thing for me)

our awesome bedroom {where the King bed does not feel huge & Joel doesn't have to stub his toe getting out of bed everytime & where we also need curtains (since our current 'curtains' are sheets) & new bedding}

...YAY!

**A week after moving into our apartment, we went to my college reunion (so how did I get old enough & years passed so quickly that I now have had a college reunion?)

we had an AWESOME time.

--SAW SOME DEAR FRIENDS (my 'transfer' buddies)--

we all transfered the same year, thus all becoming friends & starting our own clique

tailgating before the football game:

Joel & Me; Joey (his family couldn't make it); Jill & Andy & their 3 kids

with my old roomies

Joel & Me (with Erin's son); Laura; Shannon; Erin & her daughter

so great to see all of them, haven't seen Erin since she was pregnant with her oldest, Laura in about 8 years, & Shannon since our wedding 2 years ago.

--TOURED THE CAMPUS--

the 'famous' Anchor of Hope

album cover with Shannon

the Anchor & beautiful chapel in the background

--SHOWED JOEL HOLLAND'S DUTCH VILLAGE THEME PARK

(where I worked as an 'actor' the summer after graduation)

& WOODEN SHOE FACTORY--

Joel tries on his first pair of wooden shows, there are SO many shoes to choose from

reliving my days & sporting the wooden shoes

Joel contemplates a pair

Dutch Village Theme Park entrance...

where we only got tourists on Sunday's

all other days maybe up to 10 folks stopped by

--WE ALSO WENT TO THE BEACH & HOLLAND'S FAMOUS ICE CREAM STOP--

Tunnel Park

Joel runs down a sand dune

YUM! Captain Sundae's & their famous Tommy the Turtle

**a week after visiting Holland...Benjamin (Joel's bro) & Laurie got married in NYC:

Beautiful Bride & Groom.

Joel & I were in the wedding.

all 12 of Joel's siblings were able to make it for the wedding.

All in age order: John, Matthew, Samuel, Paul, Rebecca, Esther, Luke, Stephen, Rachel, Joel, James, Philp, & Benjamin (the groom)

Mom & Pop in front

{& in case you were wondering: there is a 19 year difference btw #1 & #13 & there are no double births)

WHEW!!! & that was just the first 3 weekends since moving into our new digs!

we are happy to be in our new home & LOVE having people over & cooking in our new awesome kitchen (more pics on that later)

Hopefully from here on out I will blog more, I have lots of soapboxes as well to talk about from my 'health hiccups' as I call them.

& I'm aiming to get back to the funny NYC observations I used to do when initially starting this blog (here & here are some examples)

The trains...

With the new move & being on a new train line, I realized that I will now have lived on all but 2 of the colors represented on the MTA subway in the 10 years I've lived in NYC.
I've lived off of:
-blue
-red
-orange
-green
-light green (when the G decided to actually stop at Steinway)
-yellow
-purple

only ones missing are grey (the L line) & brown (JMZ).
& I'm not counting the Shuttle here, since it just has one stop back & forth.
whew!

The End of an Era & A New Apartment!!!!

There has been a Hope College Alum in this building for over 8 years...now the end of an era has come:

After seeing about 30ish apartments in 3 neighborhoods, 12 realtors, & having some crazy/nasty stories to share along the way (see old post & old post)... Joel & I have FINALLY found a new apartment! YAY YAY!

We've learned for this particular situation it really paid off to:
1) be extremely picky (we really strongly dislike our current place)
2) take our sweet time (we'd been hunting for about 2 months). We had actually been wanting to move for quite some time now, but with my health 'hiccups', well, that had to be postponed for over a year.
3) with taking our sweet time, the apartments we were shown got bigger & cheaper as time had passed into the fall season.

Thank you Lord for giving us the perfect place! :)

Some things I will miss about the old place:
-many memories with friends over the past 8 years.
-having a lovely friend live upstairs from us who brings us yummy homemade treats (we'll miss ya Julie!)
-inexpensive (by NYC terms) rent
-overlooking a cute garden in the backyard
-a cute front yard
-the big closet in our bedroom
-a nice landlord
-our 'faux' 2-bedroom
-not having to give directions to friends since they know exactly where we are
-being super close to Panera & the movie theatre

Some things I will not miss about the old place:
-the thin walls
-no insulation between floors
-the lady below who pounds quite rudely on her ceiling with a broom
-her son who will basically threaten us if we don't 'keep it down' (past 8pm)
-hearing the son snore below us
-hearing the folks below us talk, sneeze, caugh, drop a pan, etc...
-feeling as if we always have to vouch for whoever comes over or what we're doing to the folks downstairs
-the nasty shower that has no hope no matter how hard you scrub it
-the bathroom being so close to the kitchen
-living on the first floor so that we hear every peep as folks enter in the front door
-feeling like we live in a cave because of lack of windows
-not having any lights on (inside or out) when you enter the building at night, we've been told to turn these lights off many times...not good, even though it's NYC law (sec 27-2039) to have lighting.
-although there is a wonderful front yard, we can't use it because it's "not nice" to do so with the noise (even though the apts surrounding us all have balconies, basically serving the same function as the front yard)
-this apt has been like my 'recovery home' for over a year...some not so wonderful memories...

Some things to look forward to in the new place:
-still being super close to Manhattan
-a huge foyer when you walk into the apartment & beautiful lobby as you walk into the building
-lots of closets
-a wonderful eat-in-kitchen
-LOTS of windows (even one in the bathroom!)
-corner unit
-5th floor (elevator, not walk-up like some of the places we looked at)
-laundry in the building that is cheaper than the laundry mat we currently go to, 3 blocks away.
-1 block to the subway
-dear friends living super close
-renovated kitchen
-the cuteness of the hood & all of the lovely trees
-being able to sit outside & enjoy the weather & neighborhood
-nice neighbors
-the cute church across the street that has a pumpkin festival!

Oh, there is SO MUCH......
Joel & I are incredibly grateful & are looking forward to having a place that is ours.
He moved into my place when we got married so most of it was my stuff & already in place...now we can work it out together to make it our place.

YAY YAY YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Open or Closed?

It's signs like this that make me confused...
perhaps it should say "Yes, We're Lazy"

The apartment search continues...

So, Joel & I saw some more apartments tonight.
Many of them were a lot more promising than others we've seen & we are loving the 'hood we've been checking out. The management companies seem to really try to update these places with new bathrooms, kitchens, appliances, paint jobs...very nice.

however, there were a couple bumps that I must share:
-we had a different realtor today than a couple nights ago (diff folks have diff listings so we have to 'cheat' on the realtors to see the most of what is out there). Tonight's woman tried to show us an apartment that the woman a couple nights ago tried to show us. Initially Joel & I smirked at each other knowing we had just been there before, but had hope for tonight since the other woman didn't have the right keys & we couldn't get in before. Well, after walking up four flights of stairs in 90 degree humidity...we couldn't get in and see the place again. Didn't have the right keys...guess this place is just not meant to be.

-in another apartment, Joel peeked into the new restored beautiful cabinets & there were dead crusty roaches inside. ew.

-and lastly, this is my favorite: Joel was quite intrigued by what was out of the window on the 'balcony' (aka: fire escape) of one of the places & I walked over there to see what he was peeking at...a dead mangled bat.
double ew.
i need to start bringing the camera.

the search continues!
off to see more this week, I know the right home is out there for us.
:)

Oh Ugly Bathrooms....

My husband & I are apartment hunting.
Here are some things we are finding in the places we are shown:
-a bathroom all in blue: blue toilet, blue tub, blue sink, blue shower curtain, blue floor, blue tiles.
-another bathroom with 3 layers of tile on the floor, guess they couldn't make up their mind?
-in addition to the 3 layers of tile on the floor, the wallpaper on the ceiling (yes, wallpaper on the ceiling!) was a blue tinfoil-type wallpaper similar to: so, but blue & uglier & with a hue of gold in it.
-another bathroom with lime green & black tile throughout the shower & a matching lime green toilet.
-the outside of the apartment 'building' covered with brown wooden shingles, everywhere. (& it definitely did not have the nice cabin/country feel to it...more like the creepy lady inside feel)
-another building that Joel so aptly named 'Transylvania'.

why do they punish us so?
I'm assuming these owners think that these are acceptable forms of 'interior design'?

I know God's got the right place out there somewhere...in the meantime I'll enjoy the gaudiness.
we're off again tonight to see more!
I wonder what we'll find!?
Queens, NY you have such a way with your decor!

Warning Signs of a Stroke

Do you know the warning signs of a stroke?
I am meeting more & more women who have had a stroke, & it's not just for your grandparents...young folks have strokes too.

I take this info all from the American Heart Association's Website:
Stroke Warning Signs
*If you or someone with you has one or more of these signs, don't delay!
-Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg, especially on one side of the body
-Sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding
-Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes
-Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination
-Sudden, severe headache with no known cause

Immediately call 9-1-1 or the emergency medical services (EMS) number so an ambulance (ideally with advanced life support) can be sent for you. Also, check the time so you'll know when the first symptoms appeared. It's very important to take immediate action. If given within three hours of the start of symptoms, a clot-busting drug called tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) can reduce long-term disability for the most common type of stroke. tPA is the only FDA-approved medication for the treatment of stroke within three hours of stroke symptom onset.

A TIA, or transient ischemic attack, is a "warning stroke" or "mini-stroke" that produces stroke-like symptoms but no lasting damage. Recognizing and treating TIAs can reduce your risk of a major stroke. The usual TIA symptoms are the same as those of stroke, only temporary. The short duration of these symptoms and lack of permanent brain injury is the main difference between TIA and stroke.