What is your stroke story?
**The Morning Everything Changed** On January 2, 2025, my life shifted in an instant. Early that morning, my son found me passed out on the bathroom floor. That was my first stroke — or what doctors called a “mini stroke.” I was rushed to the hospital, scared, confused, and unsure of what came next. About 7–10 days later, while I was in the rehab hospital, I suffered a second, far more serious stroke. This one changed everything. It left me paralyzed and with limited speech. I spent time in three different hospitals before finally coming home on March 31, 2025 — in a wheelchair, facing a new reality I never asked for. **The Real Work Begins After the Hospital** People often say, “The stroke must have been hard.” And yes, it was. But let me tell you something: the stroke is only the beginning. Recovery and rehab — that’s where the real work begins. - Learning to walk again. - Learning to dress myself. - Learning to speak clearly. - Learning to trust my body again. Every single step was a battle. Every small victory was earned. And through it all, I never gave up. During rehabilitation, someone asked me, “Are you willing to do things differently?” I said yes. And once I made that decision, the gloves were off. I was ready to fight for my life, my independence, and my future. **The Hidden Challenges People Don’t See** Here’s what I wish people understood: stroke recovery doesn’t end when you leave the hospital. It doesn’t end after a therapy session. It doesn’t end after the first year. Stroke recovery becomes part of your identity. Medically, they say most recovery happens within the first year — but even doctors will tell you they know very little about how the brain truly heals. The brain is mysterious, and healing is ongoing. So when people say, “You look great,” I cringe a little. They see the outside — the physical progress — but they don’t see the mental and emotional challenges I deal with every single day. It’s easy for people to chalk that up to depression, but that’s not what it is. It’s the weight of rebuilding a life from the inside out. In the book *Identity Theft*, it talks about how stroke robs us of our identity. And that, for me, has been the most challenging part. I’m not trying to go back to who I was before — that person is gone. Instead, I’m committed to creating a new identity, because that’s where my new Life After journey truly begins. **My Truth Today** I often say, “Stroke is what happened to me, but it’s not who I am.” And I mean that with every fiber of my being. I am rebuilding. I am redefining. I am reclaiming. I am becoming. My journey isn’t easy, but it’s powerful. And every day, I choose to keep going — not to return to who I was, but to grow into who I’m becoming.
Is there anything you would like to say to healthcare professionals?
You guys are great! Keep doing what you're doing. Don't forget there is an actual person on the other side. Treat us like people, not just patients.
Is there anything you would like to say to family, friends, carepartners, or the wider community?
Thank you for your love and support. I recognize my stroke didn't just happen to me; you were affected as well.