What are you good at?
Almost a decade ago, if you asked me this question, I would have written you a nice long post, extolling my ability to dance and drive well. Along with my great work ethic and ability to sell things. Perhaps I would have included the fact that I’m a good stylist and decent at makeup application and hair styling.
Unfortunately, after a decade of paralysis because I had a massive stroke and lost access to my left arm and ankle, the only thing that I have left to brag about is that I write well. When you become permanently paralyzed because of brain damage, it’s shocking what you go from being good at to being bad at because you can’t remember how to do it, or simply because you’d need two hands, or your entire body to do it. You lose confidence and identity. It’s really a tough thing to get through, and I wouldn’t wish the torture of it on my worst enemy or even Donald Trump.
You need to have a tremendous amount of inner strength and determination to adapt to the nightmare scenario. You need to have the ability to let go of the possibility of a full recovery and settle into life as a wheelchair user with all that entails. The frustration, the anger, the stigma,the mourning of your past life. I did all of that. There were many moments that I wanted to die, but I kept going . I’ll keep going. Hopefully, I’ll inspire someone who needs to keep going along the way.