Category: Mental health
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Finding Joy in the Little Things
Life has a funny way of dealing you a hand you never expected. Sometimes it’s a Royal Flush; other times, it’s a handful of mismatched cards that don’t have any synergy at all. eight years ago, at just 22, life dealt me the latter. I suffered a stroke that wiped…
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Coping with Post-Stroke Depression
When the Silence Gets Loud There is a specific kind of silence that settles in after the hospital doors slide shut behind you. In the hospital, there’s noise. Beeping monitors, the squeak of nurses’ shoes, the constant prodding and testing. You are a “patient.” You have a job: survive. But…
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Re-Learning Everyday Tasks After a Stroke
If you’ve ever tried to brush your teeth with your non-dominant hand, you know it feels like trying to write a sonnet while wearing boxing gloves. It’s clumsy, it’s frustrating, and you mostly just end up making a mess. Now, imagine that feeling applied to everything. Tying a shoelace. Buttering…
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Restoring my independence after a stroke
If you were to graph the trajectory of a typical 22-year-old’s life, the line usually points up and to the right. You are acquiring skills, you are gaining freedom, and you are acquiring the ability to eat a sandwich without thinking about the complex biomechanics required to lift it to…
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Understanding the Impact of a Stroke
Seven years ago, the universe decided to play a very dark, very confusing practical joke on me. I was 22 years old. I was healthy. I was almost as invincible as any 22-year-old assumes they are. I was worried about typical 22-year-old things: career paths, dating, and whether I could…
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My top 3 things abled-bodied people should know
As a stroke survivor, there are a few things I wish non-disabled people knew. A stroke can happen to anyone, at any age, and it can change your life in an instant. Here are the top three things I want non-disabled people to know about stroke: In conclusion, stroke can…
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The best compliment i received
What was the best compliment you’ve received? That I’m remarkably happy, given the rollercoaster of a life I’ve been through. It’s strange when i think about it. After all, my mother left when I was 11. I went to the worst period of my life in the years, after still…
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Masculinity and Stroke
Rule 1: Be strong. Rule 2: Fix things. Rule 3: If you are hurt, rub some dirt on it and walk it off. Rule 4: Under no circumstances should you ever, ever admit that you are scared. For twenty-two years, I followed this script. I was the protagonist of my…
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7 things having a stroke has taught me
As a stroke survivor, I have learned a lot about myself and life in general. The experience has taught me so many valuable lessons that have helped me appreciate life more and live it to the fullest. Here are the top 7 things that having a stroke has taught me:…
The Long Road Ahead 