Strokaversary

I Survived. Then I Rewired. And Now, I Thrive.

In 2015, I had a stroke.

It hit the left side of my brain , the side responsible for language, logic, reasoning, numbers, planning, sequencing, and executive functioning.

In an instant, the entire right side of my body went silent. I lost my rhythm, my words, and nearly lost myself.

The left brain is where we build lists and launch goals. It’s the voice of order, analysis, and step-by-step thinking. It’s the part that helps you tie your shoes, write a sentence, and solve a problem.

So when my stroke came for that part of me, I could’ve lost everything I was proud of my ability to coach, to communicate, to think clearly, to walk, to plan, to be me.

But I didn’t.

Why?

Because the brain ,like the soul, is miraculous.

Thanks to my neurologist, my physical therapist, my speech therapist, and a whole lot of grace, I did the unthinkable: I helped my brain build new pathways.

Neuroplasticity is a fancy word, but I lived it. It means the brain can adapt. Rewire. Reroute. It means that even when a part of you breaks, there’s still another part that wants to build.

I practiced. I cried. I fumbled. I forgot. I tried again.

There were days when walking felt like mountain climbing.

There were days when words hid from me like shadows.

And there are still days when the echo of that stroke hums quietly in my bones.

But here I am. Coaching. Speaking. Dancing. Living. Loving. Learning. Laughing. Dreaming.

Not in spite of what I lost. But because of what I chose to rebuild.

I still have some deficits. They’re part of me now. But I don’t use them as a crutch. I use them as a compass , a reminder of where I’ve been and how far I’ve come.

Today is my STROKEAVERSARY (stroke-uh-vair-suh-ree) the day I look back at the fire that nearly consumed me and say, “I walked through it.”

This isn’t just about me.

This is about you, too.

Because whatever you’re walking through trauma, loss, illness, grief , you can rebuild. You can reroute. You can rise.

Your Turn Dear Reader:

What part of you once felt lost, and what did it teach you when you fought to get it back?

If you’ve survived something how has it shaped the way you show up in the world today?

I’d love to hear your story. Today, we celebrate the power of the human spirit together.