S10E33: CAN LAUGHTER MAKE YOU FEEL BETTER ? (guest, Larry Voltz)

Hello my beautiful survivors, how are you? This is Karina from stroke Surviving the odds. The mission of the show is to move forward past the events of the stroke, help you reclaim your life, your identity, and really build something that you are proud of. And you can listen to me on audio, Spotify, Apple iTunes, Google Podcast. I'm going to be leaving the link here. The reason why we're on YouTube today, huh? You're asking Well, every week I have these amazing guests that come that are also focusing on life after stroke. So today is not any different.

I present to you Mr. Larry Bolts. We we're leaving it. It sounds like we know each other forever, but we're leaving it full of surprises. Larry, thank you for being here. Oh, thank you for having me right now. I'm really excited. Thank you. Well, the first question, I don't know much about you, but before getting into The Who you are now, I would love to know who you were and how did you merge together. Oh, wow, good, good question.

Well, I'm someone who has turned ADHD into a lifestyle. I've done so many. Different things. I prefer the term Renaissance man. You know, I tried to do all kinds of different things. I've I've got a science degree. I spent 10 years as a magician on cruise ships, I am a hypnotherapist, I owned an escape room, and now I'm going back to college for an occupational therapy degree. I've always done a lot of different things. Mostly it's all revolved around either helping people or entertaining and and that's my life and my first in life. It's kind of the same thing.

I'm a dad and my joke around, so that's what. Were you, were you practicing these, all these trades before all these trades before the stroke as well? Yeah, yeah. That that's kind of my history of until the stroke, the the going back to school for occupational therapy. That's something that's directly a result of this stroke. And and since this stroke, I've also taken up stand up comedy part time in my profession.

But it's a a joy, you know? I bet, I bet. Absolutely. Well, you know what? Which came first? The entertaining or the serious stuff after the hypnosis? The well. Which came first, chicken or the egg in terms of professions? Yeah. I started entertaining, actually. First I I realized after college that I didn't want to work in laboratory.

And I auditioned at the theme park to do magic and surprise surprise I made a good living. And then ten years spent on cruise ships. Yeah, it's a great time. And then I saw a stage hypnotist doing a show, and I thought, wow, I'd like to try that. And so I took a class and I learned that you can help people with it as well.

And I feel like, well, if I have this skillet would be wrong for me not to help. And so I started doing hypnotherapy. I've done that for 25 years. So used to be entertainment full time and a little bit therapy. It's really switched now or most of my time is helping people, but I go off and I do a Renaissance Spares now and then or stage show and that refill is my soul.

You know that's. Amazing, man, that's amazing. I have to tell you, the way I got to know you a little bit is I think you had posted your very first show, your stand up comic After Stroke. That's how I got to know you, and I thought you were really funny and you were very comfortable. Thanks. Thanks. You know, having done magic for so long made me comfortable on stage.

And of course I I only opposed the good jokes. So you know. OK, well what? I have a couple of questions in my mind now. What kind of kid were you when you were a child? I guess so while I was actually pretty shy and there was a magic that kind of brought me out of my shell and it, it really was when I got that gig at the, it was a King's Dominion, my first one. And again, it was magic that because I had a routine, I felt safe to kind of crawl out of my shell, you know, like turtle peeking out with magic.

And eventually I've become an extroverted introvert, but I wish I. Liked that extrovert. Introvert. I like that. OK, wow. I mean, this is this is the first time that we have a a comedian, an entertainer. I mean, you have a vast CV and that all links to making people feel better. Laughter is the best medicine.

What's your best? What's your favorite entertainment to do? It's hard to say, you know, I mean, there's any one of them is magic. You've got laughter and surprise. Yeah. An amazement That's that's like a slightly different feeling from the comedy. It's just pure joy in a way. Comedy is my favorite bit.

I I have comedy, the comedy in both magic and it gnosis. The gnosis is different. I'm more of a ringleader, I guess. Yeah. The stirred up comedy. I wish I had. Sorry. You said you're you're like a rainmaker in hypnosis. What do you mean? No, I'm sorry, a ringleader like you have ringleader guides, a circus acts because yeah, I get, but then they they're totally themselves from then on and I just stand back and watch the show myself. That's good.

That's good. You're very funny. I guess you're very funny in life as well, right? All the time. Thanks, but no, I mean sometimes. Wow. No, I I know that I'm just regular guy. I I'm I sometimes something hits me and that I find the financed AOL just like everyone you know. But are you Canadian? As well, you are a a Canadian right?

No, I'm American. I'm from the Richmond VA so my home no. You're too far for me to go and see one of your. Shows. Well, they'll never know if you were. In. Kingston, huh? If you were in Kingston, ON, which is five hours away, I would have said OK, but Virginia is kind of fun. Well. Call your local theater and have them book me and you know I'll travel.

Sounds like a plan. Well, I can try to make that happen. Yeah. Yeah, I do have a couple of people that I know. It'd be awesome. Yeah. I'd love to. I'd love to travel. I yeah, I don't do as much as I used to, but, you know, like this. This weekend I'm going down to Tennessee to do a renaissance fair down there.

And that, that one, I really, I really am. It says Upstate Renaissance Fair. It's in Tennessee. And they, they were one of the fairs that was kind enough to book me after this stroke where I, yeah, I couldn't do as much as I can now, you know, And my show has had to be limited a bit, you know, And each, each, you know, the past two years has been a big improvement, which is this really exciting news. It really meant a lot to me that there were a few fairs that were want to take me on, even though it's really. Absolutely.

Yeah, not many people would do that. So there no, no, not many. So they're going to be surprised when they see you. I hope so. I hope, I hope it's a pleasant surprise. Whatever. I'm going to have a great time. I'm sure, I'm sure. So listen, let's let's talk stroke for a minute, OK? When was your stroke?

August 2nd, 2020. Wait 20? Yeah. 423 Yeah, because I'm coming up on 3rd year. OK. And do you know what kind of stroke you had? Yeah, I had an ischemic stroke on the left side, so I had the hammer paralysis on both arm and leg. And I had terrible, terrible trouble speaking, you know, I Yeah, it was.

Yeah. It's been a really long road. I can. Yeah, I can. Barely the arm. I can barely move until I was almost a year afterwards. I finally started to get more and I was in this jail roll later and they came and then walking and, you know, it's just like a lot of people do, you know, it's been quite, a, quite a trip.

Yes, yes, absolutely. Different strokes for different folks, but the end result is that we all feel the same. We all have the same pain. Yeah, we, yeah, the feelings, the, you know, so many things I think everyone goes through with stroke. It will depending on the severity and and all that, but you might, yeah, when, when when I first had it and my speech was really, really hard to understand. That was something where I I questioned to a degree, my identity, you know, as a an entertainer who can't speak, as a hypnotherapist who can't speak. You know, the things I did for a living might have been on the day one and know for sure.

And you know that leaves you with who are you now? And in the way I. Love. It in the way that's a blessing when you really deal with it, because you have to recognize that you have worth and value as a person, not just into what you do. Yes, that's that's that's where I'm glad you brought it up.

A lot of people identify themselves in being an entertainer or a hypnosis or physicist or something, and life is can't be like that anymore. You are a human right, Right. What? What helped you realize that? Did you realize it by yourself? Well, I realized that fully when friends and family came through for me.

I had one of my best friends sat by my side for a lot of was there with me for like first two weeks in the hospital. She didn't leave my side. Another friend has really come through, so many friends. It really came through for me and when I really, really needed them. And yeah, I can't just go on and on about them.

And that the fact that they were there for me not because of what I did, but because they love me was really helped me prioritize things. And like, I knew I couldn't. Yeah, I knew your. Mindset shifted. Sorry. Your mindset started to to shift a little bit. Yeah, yeah, more so yeah. I always value my friends and love them, but at the yeah, I I definitely really built up my self esteem from things that I do rather than who I am. And that's a good realization then that I think everyone should really deeply rock.

Everybody should really realize that and, you know, have a stroke. To. You know. That's, that's, you know, Larry, I'm, I'm, I'm flabbergasted that you are bringing these things up, that you figured these things out by yourself and you really held on to what was valuable to you, your friends. Yeah, thanks. Now I still, I really love the things that I do. So it's to spend a lot of time, you know, chasing the things that I enjoy.

But yeah, yeah, we should. We had more time with friends, you know, they're, they're too spread out. But I I try to spend more time with them and do more than they did. Yeah. What kind of things do you enjoy other than entertaining and doing your work and being there for people? What do you enjoy? Oh gosh, you know, I like going to the gym. Lately I've been using the sauna a lot. That's something really good for recovered from performances and all that.

I like to I go to movies with friends. I like in that nature and walking around on hikes and yoga and doing all kinds of stuff. I've gone to, you know, I've kind of hardened my my therapy with what I enjoy. I've been trying a lot of different things with the. Addicts laughing. That's amazing. Yeah, yeah. No, it's well, laughter.

You, you've been structured. Madame Khataria said that you find joy and laughter, laughter playing, singing, dancing. And I decided that I was going to make that the the focus of of my therapy, you know, the things that did to try and make, you know, get better. I was going to follow things that brought my joy, you know, and and so I've been trying lots of things that have been used to last year yoga.

I've been doing a contact improv, stand up comedy, doing all kinds of things like that. So just I'm always doing something, yeah. You sound very centered, Larry. You sound very like you. You, you figured out, you are still figuring out, but you figured out how to bring it back to your, yourself, you know, do things for you numero Uno.

You said something interesting before you said that you sort of lost your identity. What was your identity when you realize you had a stroke, you had paralysis. What was going through your mind before becoming that super rock that you are the rock star you are what before that we all go through something. How did you feel?

So so the listeners and the viewers can relate that they're feeling normal. Could you rephrase the question? Yes, Sir, I can. Well, you said that after the stroke you were kind of looking for your identity because you were wondering. I'm an entertainer, but I can't talk. I'm a hypnosis, but I can't talk, right? So what was going at that moment when you were saying I can't, What was going through your head? Well, during that time there was a lot of depression, you know, you know, feeling like, you know, when at first I couldn't move at all, you know, and not even the finger, you know, and lying there in the bed.

Completely helpless. You know, I think all of us who go through that, it's kind of a death and rebirth, you know, it's yeah, I feel like how can I contribute to society, right? And I feel like I can't, you know, that's the big thing. If if that's part of your who you think you are, you know, I feel like that's where a lot of myself worth comes from.

And you know, so and that I knew because, you know, I coached people for a living that help people, you know, with that kind of thing and so forth. So I knew the words to tell myself, but is still feeling, you know, and yeah, like so I had to, you know, tell myself that, you know, I'm I'm worthy as a human being and I'm I'm loved and loving.

And that's really all in need, you know, as far as you know, you compare yourself to others who have always been disabled, you know, and always. And you can see a lot. There are many people that are loving and love and enjoy life and do good things just by bringing happiness to others that never really accomplished anything that you know, you'd say, yeah. So, you know, those are the kind of things I had to focus on like, you know, just it took time. I had to focus on those things and, and the, the kindness of my friends and the generosity of my friends helped me take the, the words and really internalize them more and realize if I, if I, if I recover, great.

And if I don't recover, it's OK. And I think that that my acceptance that if I did recover helped my recovery because I wasn't stuck in grief love. It. Yeah. Acceptance help. Wow, wow, wow. I'm making a short out of this. Larry, you are unbelievable what you just said. Accepted acceptance helped you recover.

Yeah. I believe that maybe you will not recover the way you want to and you ended up recovering. So you understand like you've you've seen, you've heard the show before and I'm all about like you, I want to help people. And what you just said, I keep saying if they, if you don't want, if they don't want to listen to me, they have to listen to you, 'cause you guys the guest, you guys the guest are proof. You are living proof that things are possible. Now we're going to shift it around a bit. OK, So now that you have this newfound acceptance, you worked slowly every day to get back.

When did you know that your confidence was coming back? Because pre stroke you had confidence to do everything. So after Stroke, when did you say I'm going to go on that stage and do a comedy set? You asked the most questions, you really do. Yes, great questions. Thank you. Well, well, part of what I've, I've learned in, in, in getting on stage and learning the different things that I have in life, I realized that you don't wait until you feel like you're 100% confident to get up and do it. You have to get up and do it and Hallelujah and. I'm confident.

Yeah, yeah, you. Can be scared to do the thing love it love it love it you took the words right out of my mouth Larry wow yes absolutely absolutely and and now the confidence that you have makes you competent do you understand competent because. Talking to you is. What? I'm sorry that you know, that can go both ways. You, your confidence can help you become more confident and gain more confidence by your, by being confident and it's just a good spiral going outwards and upwards, right? Love it, love it, love it, love it. I mean, I could probably stay here and talk to you all day and we could exchange, you know, laugh and cry and exchange our way of thinking.

I see that there's a lot of alignment and you, you, you coach people as well. I do, I do. Well, you know, hypnosis as it's coaching and you hypnosis to help things sink in, you know, so you know, everybody thinks of the swinging watch and say you're going to be better. But it's you know, most of the session is talking, you know, and then coming up what it is you need to believe 10% more even, you know, if you maybe believe a little bit more than you can actually push yourself to do a few more reps of.

You know. The hand lifting exercises or whatever, you know that that belief, you know what you believe you can manage this, you know, and you know all the things we talked about here, you know, finding yourself confident, yeah. You know, I've always worked on that kinds of things. And hypnosis is just the way to kind of help it sink in. Like I said, I'd love to talk.

To. You more about what you do in your coaching that's that would be a method for a conversation yeah where I. Get to ask Yes. Yes, you lots of questions. I do, I do NLP as well so I incorporate like you, verbal therapy, NLPA, little bit of IFC and hypnosis. How wonderful, Wonderful I I knew. We.

That's why we. That's why we align. Right, right, awesome. I forgot that he is hypnosis. No wonder we get along so well. Yes, we we can read each other's mind. You know what? How many comedy show do you do like in regards to? Do you still talk stroke survivor in your comedy set? Sometimes what what that. Can you give us a little bit of I lost you, Larry? Oh, no, I think you need, you need to move closer to home. OK, we can hear you, but we can't. See you the app.

The phone is Let me go inside you will. Have no problem. My question was about doing a set of comedy. If you could do a set of comedy here, being a stroke survivor and about accepting, I'm going to give you a sense you do improv as well. So how about we're going to do improv, stroke survivor and acceptance and comedy? And comedy?

No, boy. Well, let me get inside here and put my things down because the phone was overheating. There we go. You can tell me if I become visible again. I will. I will. Yes. Well, we can hear you very clearly. So let's go. Let's get into business. I'm looking forward to this. I see you. There you are. They can call back.

You're busy, but you're busy right now. They can call back. I'm joking. I'm joking. If you need to go and go take it. All right, I'll tell you what, Larry. Larry, right now you can leave because you go take your call. And you know what? You are coming back here and you are going to be doing a little improv. OK, Go get the phone.

OK. All right, we're back. We're back. I've got. Can you see me? OK, wonderful. OK. All right. Wonderful. Yes, Sir. Well, I I. No. I'll tell you. I'll tell you about some of the things I say on stage. I have to get into the mode. You're you're cutting anyways. Sorry you're cutting. Yeah. OK, we're having a problem with connection. You are saved by the vowel.

We're having a problem connecting. You are saved by the vowel. OK, well now. OK, now you thought you got to do it. You got something? All right, well, after is the best medicine. That's what they say if you don't have health insurance. And so I started doing comedy when I was, I was still a wreck. You know, I, I told everybody that, you know, I obviously I walked on stage and I'm going like this and I told everyone, obviously I'm a disabled person.

I have was known as oh shit, I can't remember that joke. Ah, horizontal horizontal ass crack syndrome. Yeah, it horizontal. Ass crack syndrome. Yeah, it's actually more serious than people realize. I mean, I can't ever get past of it, right? And whenever I go down the playground slide it sounds like this. Oh yeah, and.

You have to do the sound effect. Oh my gosh. OK, well, you know what? Yeah. What else? Now? You went down the slide. You went like this. You're standing up again. What happens? Well, you know that that's not even there were an original joke, you know, I talked about, you know, the reality of having a stroke. I, you know, started off and my leg have to do it, see if I can. Let's just see it.

You know, my leg, at first I couldn't bend it, you know, once I got out of the wheelchair and I could only brag it, you know, like kind of like that. Yeah. My arm would just swing and then just not going anywhere. In fact, I remember I was all upset one time. I I kept knocking over my cereal bowl like every morning.

And just about every morning I got it's just go like this and accidentally knock it over. Finally I broke broke down and cried and and then I stopped and realized I'm literally crying over spilled milk. But anyway, so so I love it I. Love it, I love. It so yeah. So. Oh my. God. Stories of acceptance right there, you know? Yeah, I love it.

That was good. You know what I did once? You know what I did once, Larry? What's that? Now? We're just talking now we're just talking like this. I worked in cosmetics department at the big store that we have here in Montreal. And me too. Me, it's my left arm, my left arm, right. So I don't have reflex on it.

And it's Christmas and it's really busy, OK. So I do everything fast, fast with this side. But that side, I drag my arm. Yeah. And it stopped on some guy's crotch. Serious I was so I'm I must have been beat red and his girlfriend or wife is looking at me. I said I'm so sorry, she said. I know she figured out that there was something wrong, but I stopped like I'm moving and I stopped grabbing his crotch.

You know, that was the most embarrassing that I've done. But that was that's. A great story. Have you told that on your show? No, I have not. Because I forgot about it. But you know what? I love it and I am going to talk about embarrassing moments. You you should. Leave this in, you know, it's a show. What a a good sense of humor and what a good-natured person. I think you're I.

Think you're on to something. I love it. Thank you. Thank you for not making me feel cuckoo. You know guys, this is. What, Larry? And I have today, OK, because I know that the attention span of stroke survivors is not that long. So we are going to respect Larry is more than welcome to come over anytime he wants any of you also OK, I'm going to remind you to like follow, subscribe on any platforms that you are listening to your podcast.

And when you are here on YouTube, make sure where are we YouTube. Make sure that you ring that little bell. I believe in paying it forward. You should too. It doesn't cost anything. Ring the bell. Just don't call me, but ring the bell. That being said, but you know that I love you very much and I will be talking to you guys very soon. Larry, you're the best.

Thank you. I really appreciate you and enjoyed seeing it, didn't they? Thank you so very. Much guys gotta go. It's a wrap.

S10E33: CAN LAUGHTER MAKE YOU FEEL BETTER ? (guest, Larry Voltz)

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