10

As an active 43-year-old, I'm healthy and living life to the fullest! I’ve completed three marathons, dozens of triathlons including Ironman. My professional life is equally exhilarating. My partner and I own a successful CrossFit gym. And I’m following my passion of helping rural communities improve their healthcare services. I have worked with the same consulting firm for over 18 years and it feels like family. · That was 2016. On Father’s Day weekend, two of my colleagues asked if we can

July

2019

09

This is my daughter, Isabel (or Issy, as she prefers to be called).  Issy suffered a massive stroke while at her dance class after school, at the age of 8 years old.  Within minutes of her stroke, Issy slipped into a coma and awoke three days later. Issy couldn’t speak, she couldn’t sit unaided, she couldn’t swallow, and she couldn’t walk either.  Issy was diagnosed with right sided hemiplegia, (which is paralysis of half the body) and aphasia (speech and language difficulties). Before Issy’s

July

2019

04

My life fits in to two distinct time chunks: before I had a massive stroke and after I had a massive stroke. Before the massive stroke I was a bilingual, uber-educated, bi-cultural immigration attorney in high demand. I knew a lot about taxes, international trade and how to become a United States citizen. I did seminars in Caracas for people who wanted to emigrate to the United States then walked them through the process. I spoke and looked the part of the ultimate young success story and I

July

2019

02

Do you ever feel like taking the time to learn something new is worthless because you probably won’t remember how to do it anyways? You are not alone. I have enjoyed learning since I was a little kid. I did very well in school because I genuinely enjoyed it. I have always viewed knowledge as power. I guess I feel defeated now because of my deficits lost stroke. I feel like all of the years I spent in school and my college degree is now worth nothing. I can’t understand things as easily as I

July

2019

29

On 8/14/15, I had started my day with up at 2:30p, at the gym by 3p until 4:30p, then shower, eat and to work for night shift at the hospital. I work 7 on, 7 off and this was day 3 of 7. At 3:15p, I was warming up shoulders and went to lift and all I remember is that I ended up holding on to the handles and was throwing up. In my mind I was thinking, “I gotta get off here and clean this up,” not realizing I was about to be fighting for my life. Luckily there was one other person in the gym at

June

2019