This week, I spoke at the Fullerton Rotary Club and got a number of questions from audience members about how I dealt with various issues after stroke.
One man asked us what we told people who were struggling with depression, which is a very common occurrence during recovery from a significant health crisis.
With summer already here, it’s gotten me thinking about the things I did for fun in the summer despite the changes a stroke had had in our lives.
Summer is a bridge of time between spring and fall that gives us a time to relax and reflect.
A few days ago I was talking to someone about how quickly one’s life can change. The thought randomly jogged a memory I had of an early childhood friend who lost her mother. I remember thinking at the time how strange it was, and telling myself that it would never happen to me. Then at 18 I lost my mother to cancer. Likewise, a young woman I know was a happy 11-year-old girl who was enjoying her life when one day she suddenly suffers a catastrophic stroke.
I have received numerous emails from people asking us how I dealt with certain issues. Questions have spanned the spectrum from how did I cope with sadness to how I was able to maintain a social life?
I always say that I wish I had had ‘us’ to talk to, and hope to offer support and guidance to those who need it.
Recently, I spoke to a few individuals whose loved ones had just experienced significant medical events, and are just beginning the recovery process.