A STROKE OF LUCK
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 Was it a stroke of luck?

“You’re lucky.” It’s a phrase I’ve heard often since my stroke—lucky to have my sight, lucky to have avoided more severe deficits, and lucky to be here.
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I don’t feel lucky about what happened. But I do feel grounded in gratitude for the path of healing I’m on, for the people walking beside me, and for the ways this experience continues to shape how I see myself and the world.

This blog is where I make sense of that journey in real time—through story, reflection, and the quiet work of rebuilding.

When a call for help leaves you helpless

4/22/2021

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Looking back, today it's been 8 month's since the stroke.  I think about that morning often. I imagine it would have been disorienting to have help of any kind in the condition I was in, but Covid added an extra layer. Suddenly, men in what I remember to be gas masks came into the room where I was slumped on the floor. They came from behind me and I don’t remember how they identified themselves. One was in front of me and the other was to my right. I know they asked me questions. I don’t remember what they asked, but I think I was able to answer them. My arm was still moving on its own. The man in front told me to stop moving my arm. My arm did not listen to his orders.​​

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Creating a blog is not as easy as it looks

4/6/2021

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You can say I started this blog in August, but the truth is I just started writing things down. I actually began building this site in January and it has been a steady work in progress/failure - mostly failure. I don't remember things being so complicated. I've had WordPress blogs in the past (The Multi-tasking Mama) and they've made sense to me. So I tried creating a WordPress blog.  I guess it was not enough experience to draw from my memory.   Learning new things right now is confusing and challenging. It just never went anywhere.

So then I realized there are new sites out there - like Wix.  Who hasn't seen a commercial for Wix and how easy it is to build a site.  While it's easy, in theory, but it didn't make sense to me. So again I created a few wicks sites.  Each one just ended up getting messy. If you think about mixing colors, there's a point where things look okay and then almost suddenly too much happens and everything just turns a gross grayish-brown and there is no coming back.

It just got super messed up and unrecognizable from the template that was started. So I'd make a new site.  I remember reaching out to Maya, after I had made three sites in a row, and explaining the problem.I She immediately advised me to stand down and told me she would help me. It was probably something like, "Mom, stop making more sites".  So Maya had made her own website during her freshman year at school, and she's very comfortable using Weebly. So, that is why my site is on here.  She asked me what I wanted, what pages I needed, and in each page asked me what I wanted to use it for. She put it all together she created all of the templates.  Then she helped me understand what I needed to do and how to bring in the different elements. So yes, in theory creating a blog is easy. I think the first thing to know is what you want to write about, and then getting your kiddo to actually get it built.
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EVERY 9 SECONDS someone in the United States sustains a brain injury

3/31/2021

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MARCH IS BRAIN INJURY AWARENESS MONTH
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The impacts of brain injury are often invisible and misunderstood. Yes, it's normal to be tired, almost all the time.  I get more tired from thinking tasks then physical ones.  I am improving in many ways, and it's easy to look at me and think I'm doing well - it's unfair not to consider the pain I am in from simple tasks like forming these sentences.  This fatigue is debilitating and compromises my ability to regulate my emotions. Physical disabilities are more visible and in some ways easier for people to relate to.  
​Stroke is considered an acquired brain injury (ABI).  More than 3.6 million people sustain an ABI each year. At least 2.8 million people sustain a traumatic brain injury (TBI) each year.  In total at least 5.3 million Americans live with a TBI-related disability. That's 1 in every 60 people.   
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​It's been just over 7 months since my stroke. While I don't feel I'm in a place to "speak up and speak out",  I do want to to raise awareness.  So here I go, slightly overwhelmed and without a real game plan, launching this blog in an effort to heal myself and potentially help others. 


#MoreThanMyBrainInjury  

(Statistics taken from The Brain Injury Association).
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energy allocation model

10/28/2020

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This energy allocation model has been a great way to explain what’s happening to people outside of my immediate circle of care. Take a look and let me know if you have any questions. #strokesurvivor #strokeawareness #strokerecovery #braininjurylife
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HEART MONITOR & Highlights

9/8/2020

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Two things happened today, I got this fabulous haircut/color and this sexy heart monitor. I want to thank Rachel @altitudesalon for being such an empathetic and in tuned in person. She made sure I was okay every step of the way. #strokelife #strokerehab #strokesurvivor #strokesurvivorsneverquit
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headbands are the new scaRF

8/24/2020

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Originally posted to IG
I used to wear scarves every day, but with all the wires I already have going on, not happening anytime soon. My go to hospital accessory is the headband. I took this picture after occupational therapy helped me get dressed from head to toe. I was wearing an actual shirt, pants, non non skid socks, shoes, and underwear and if you’ve been in ICU for a week graduating to underwear is. huge.

I actually felt normal like I could walk out the door except that I’d probably trip off all the alarms for the systems that are monitoring my heart. 
#strokerehab #strokesurvivor #strokesurvivorsneverquit
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  • Home
  • My Story
    • In my own words
    • In the Community
    • Service Dog Days
  • Advocacy & Impact
    • American Heart Association
  • Art & Expression
    • Artist Statement and Bio
    • Portfolio
    • 75-Day Art
  • Blog & Reflections
  • Resources
    • Cuban Cooking with Mom
  • Connect