One morning I got up and drove to a coffee shop to meet my dad. As I waited for him there was a funny feeling. I asked him to grab a doughnut for me. I don’t remember if I even had a bite before asking him to take me home. He called Barb and she got there shortly after. By this point I needed help walking to the car to go to the hospital. Fortunately I could tell how to get there but as we arrived my words had slurred to the point I could not understand myself and had to be lifted into a wheelchair. Shortly after the lights went out.
To this point several of you know the story. Here is where my attitude made the difference as the hospital I was in only had so many beds for rehab and I got one. I now think about the others who had to go home without this invaluable help. After many weeks of physical, occupational, speech and recreational therapies, I went home to continue with outpatient therapy. In New York you get 20 weeks of physical and a combined 20 weeks of occupational and speech. After my first speech sessions I was told I could benefit more from occupational so there you go.