MEET THE MANY FACES OF STROKE
She is 7, 12 or 85. He, 24, 48 or 69, carries mail, fixes cars, loves fly fishing and plays guitar. She teaches, runs marathons, knits and prepares fabulous meals. He dreams of racing, becoming a nurse and getting to his niece’s wedding. She works on a novel, studies for a Masters’ degree, and travels the world.
He swims, plays golf and faithfully shows up for physical therapy classes every week. She digs in the garden, paints scenes from everyday life, and goes horseback riding. He and she find each other while discussing what life is like as stroke survivors, have dinner, decide to make a new life together.
She is a mother, grandmother, friend. He, a dad, brother and uncle. They cherish family, they live alone, they attend community meetings, church, school. She loves broccoli, he still remembers the taste of beer. He says, “everything in moderation.” She says “naps are the thing!”
She broke colts years ago and loves going to farmers’ markets now. He flew planes then, and practices yoga now, jokes with everyone, and dances to his heart’s content.
Stroke does many things to many people. It strikes at lunch, in a car, at work, and during the night. Stroke comes in a crowd, or when all alone hiking on a quiet trail. Stroke makes life messy and sometimes opens the door. “You think you are lost forever, but you are really just beginning…again.”
The many faces of stroke are diverse, happy, and sometimes sad. The message of these survivors who have shared their stories during the past 25 days of Mary Kay Engel’s “Riding for Rehab” fundraiser say that, without a doubt, “stroke does change life, but it does not define who we are!”
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