Inclusive Sports
Stroke Across America: Trauma, Adaptation, Purpose
Special | 26m 47sVideo has Closed Captions
Ride alongside stroke survivor Debra Meyerson on a 100-day, coast-to-coast bike adventure.
Ride alongside Debra Meyerson– Stanford professor, athlete, mother, and stroke survivor– on Stroke Across America. On this 100-day, coast-to-coast bike adventure, Debra builds meaningful connections between survivors of stroke and aphasia, raises issues in the medical system faced by her community, and proves first hand that life after a stroke can still be full of purpose, joy, and perseverance.
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Inclusive Sports is a local public television program presented by WCNY
Inclusive Sports
Stroke Across America: Trauma, Adaptation, Purpose
Special | 26m 47sVideo has Closed Captions
Ride alongside Debra Meyerson– Stanford professor, athlete, mother, and stroke survivor– on Stroke Across America. On this 100-day, coast-to-coast bike adventure, Debra builds meaningful connections between survivors of stroke and aphasia, raises issues in the medical system faced by her community, and proves first hand that life after a stroke can still be full of purpose, joy, and perseverance.
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback
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>> I AM DEBRA MEYERSON.
IN 2010, I HAD A SEVERE STROKE THAT ROBBED ME OF ALL SPEECH.
>> ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE CAN DO TOGETHER THAT HAS BEEN ON MY BUCKET LIST SINCE I WAS 22, IS RIDE CROSS-COUNTRY.
>> SHE DID THINGS VERY OUT OF THE BOX AND MAYBE LESS ORDINARY THAN HER GROUP OF FRIENDS USED TO DO.
SHE TOOK HER KIDS OUT OF SCHOOL AND HOME SCHOOLED THEM AND SAILED AROUND THE WORLD WITH HER KIDS FOR A YEAR, TOOK THREE YOUNG KIDS OUT OF SCHOOL.
THAT WASN'T THE NORM.
SO I THINK SHE JUST DID THINGS DIFFERENTLY.
>> I REMEMBER WHEN I MOVED TO BOSTON, I WENT TO THE M.I.T.
SAILING PAVILION AND SAW THE TROPHIES UP THERE FOR DEBRA MEYERSON AND THAT WAS INSPIRING.
DEB, DURING OUR BUSINESS SCHOOL DAYS WAS ALWAYS FULL OF LIFE.
ALWAYS HAS BEEN AND STILL IS.
ALWAYS GAME TO DO ANYTHING.
VERY MUCH AN ADVENTURE SEEKER.
BIG TIME SKIER, BIKER, VERY ACTIVE AND ATHLETIC.
I MET STEVE AFTER BUSINESS SCHOOL.
STEVE HAS ALWAYS JUST BEEN A KIND PERSON, A GOOD LISTENER.
ALSO LIKES TO SEEK OUT ADVENTURE.
LOVES TO BIKE.
>> THE THING ABOUT DEB THAT ATTRACTED ME FROM THE BEGINNING IS-- AND IT SORT OF SOUNDS CLICHE, IS WORK HARD PLAY HARD.
SHE WAS SERIOUS AND TOTALLY COMMITTED TO WHAT SHE BELIEVED IN PROFESSIONALLY, GETTING A Ph.D., BECOMING A PROFESSOR.
SHE WAS A HARD CORE FEMINIST AND WANTED TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THAT WORLD.
>> I HAD THIS THEORY THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE LEAVE THE WORKPLACE, AND PARTICULARLY WOMEN AND MEN WHO HAVE THE OPTION TO LEAVE THE WORKPLACE, LEAVE NOT-- PARTLY BECAUSE OF THE STRUGGLE TO FIND BALANCE IN THEIR LIVES.
BUT ALSO BECAUSE THEIR WORK ISN'T SUFFICIENTLY MEANINGFUL TO JUSTIFY STAYING THERE.
>> DEB AND I MET WHEN SHE WAS MY T.A., FIRST QUARTER IN BUSINESS SCHOOL.
SHE WAS GETTING HER Ph.D.
IN ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR AND I WAS A FRESH ON STANFORD CAMPUS MBA STUDENT WHO WAS ON A SKI TRIP THAT SPARKS FIRST FLEW.
♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ >> SO WE WERE UP IN TAHOE AND WE WERE ON A HIKE AND SHE STARTED-- SHE STARTED LIKE LIMPING AND HER KNEE STARTED BUCKLING WHICH IS OFTEN A REALLY EARLY SIGN.
SO WE WERE ON A HIKE WE HAD DONE A THOUSAND TIMES AND WE TURNED AROUND AND SHE WENT TO THE LOCAL HOSPITAL.
AND THEY SAID THIS IS SOMETHING SERIOUS.
>> I WAS SITTING IN THE COMMON AREA OF MY FRESHMAN DORM, ABOUT FOUR DAYS INTO COLLEGE AND GOT THE NEWS.
AND I REMEMBER VERY VIVIDLY ASKING MY DAD, WHO WAS THE ONE WHO CALLED ME, SO WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?
HOW SERIOUS IS IT?
AND HE SAID WE DON'T REALLY KNOW YET.
>> AND I'M CALLING EVERY FRIEND I HAVE AT THAT POINT.
I'M A SENIOR IN COLLEGE, AND-- WHO IS PREMED.
THEY DON'T KNOW ANYTHING BUT THEY'RE THE CLOSEST THING I KNOW TO A DOCTOR.
ONE OF THEM SAID IT COULD BE A STROKE.
NOT NECESSARILY A STROKE BUT THE LOSS OF SOME BRAIN CELLS.
>> SO AT FIRST SHE LOST MORE USE OF HER LEG AND THEN IT WAS HER ARM AND THEN HER SPEECH GOT A LITTLE BIT SLURRED AND THEN IT WAS HARDER FOR HER TO STRING ALONG THOUGHTS TOGETHER AND SHE COULDN'T SPEAK IN SENTENCES AND SHE COULDN'T SPEAK AT ALL.
AND WE SORT OF JUST WATCHED IT HAPPEN IN FRONT OF OUR EYES AND IT WAS PRETTY AWFUL.
>> IT'S HARD TO WATCH SOMEONE, WATCH YOUR MOM, WHO IS STILL YOUNG AND WOULD OTHERWISE, YOU KNOW, BE RUNNING AND SKIING AND DOING ALL THESE THINGS, SORT OF STRUGGLE WITH SOMETHING AS SIMPLE AS CUTTING THEIR FOOD OR TYING THEIR SHOES.
>> THERE WAS SORT OF AN IMMEDIATE SENSE OF, LIKE, WHERE DID SHE GO?
THIS PERSON IS GONE.
BECAUSE YOU WATCH THIS BULLDOZER LOSE THE ABILITY TO MOVE AND SPEAK.
AND THEN THERE IS DEFINITELY SOME DENIAL, I THINK, FROM EVERYONE ABOUT HOW SERIOUS IT WAS.
AND THAT THIS WASN'T GOING TO BE A SMALL THING THAT WAS GONE IN TWO WEEKS OR A WEEK.
HOW DO YOU GO FROM A PROFESSOR WHO TEACHES ABOUT CREATING CHANGE AND USING YOUR VOICE AND AN ATHLETE TO SOMEBODY WHOSE DISABLED FULLY ON YOUR RIGHT SIDE AND CAN'T SPEAK?
AND HOW DO YOU RECONCILE THAT WITH HOW YOU SAW YOURSELF BEFOREHAND?
AND NOBODY ASKED HER THAT QUESTION AND NOBODY TRIED TO HELP HER THROUGH THAT.
>> AS ACADEMICS, WE EXIST IN THE WORLD OF IDEAS.
IT'S WHY WE DO RESEARCH.
IT'S WHY WE TEACH; TO GENERATE NEW KNOWLEDGE AND CONVEY THAT NEW KNOWLEDGE TO FUTURE GENERATIONS.
THAT REQUIRES US TO ENGAGE WITH THE WORLD, BOTH IN ACQUIRING INFORMATION, PROCESSING IT AND THEN COMMUNICATING IT BACK.
AT SOME LEVEL, DEB'S STROKE, YOU KNOW, IMPAIRED HER ABILITY TO DO ALL OF THOSE.
THAT HAD TO BE ABSOLUTELY DEVASTATING.
AND I THINK WOULD CRUSH MOST ACADEMICS.
MOST ACADEMICS HAVE A DIFFICULT TIME RETIRING SIMPLY BECAUSE IT MEANS THAT THEY FEEL LIKE THEY'RE LOSING THEIR IDENTITY, THEY'RE LOSING THEIR REASON FOR BEING.
TO HAVE THAT TAKEN AWAY IN THE PRIME OF ONE'S CAREER, AND TO HAVE IT HAPPEN LITERALLY OVERNIGHT, IS ALMOST BEYOND COMPREHENSION.
>> IT'S IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THAT APHASIA IS A LOSS OF LANGUAGE DUE TO SOME SORT OF BRAIN INJURY.
STROKE IS THE MOST COMMON.
IT COULD BE TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY, IT COULD BE DUE TO AN INFECTION, TUMOR, WHATEVER IT IS.
IT IS A LOSS OF THE ABILITY TO COMMUNICATE.
IT IS NOT A LOSS OF INTELLECT.
AND THAT IS SO IMPORTANT FOR PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND.
AND NURL, THAT'S NOT HOW PEOPLE ARE TREATED.
>> MY NAME IS DEBRA.
MY NAME IS DEBRA.
MY NAME IS DEBRA.
MY NAME IS DEBRA.
MY NAME IS DEBRA.
>> I OFTEN TALK ABOUT THE FACT THAT IT WAS SO BRAVE TO WRITE A BOOK WHEN YOUR BIGGEST DISABILITY IS COMMUNICATION BECAUSE EVERY MORNING, YOU'VE SORT OF TAKEN ON A JOB THAT PUTS YOU FACE TO FACE WITH YOUR BIGGEST AND MOST FRUSTRATING DISABILITY EVERY DAY YOU WAKE UP AND THERE WERE TIMES WHEN SHE JUST SAID I'M DONE.
AND WHAT KEPT HER GOING WAS THE GROWING REALIZATION THAT THE BOOK COULD HELP OTHER PEOPLE.
DEB'S FIRST MOTOR-- MOTIVATION TO WRITE THE BOOK WAS SHE WAS TOLD SHE COULD.
SHE WAS TOLD SHE COULD NOT LONGER BE A TENURED PROFESSOR BUT SHE WANTED TO PROVE THAT SHE HAD THOSE PROFESSOR QUALITIES AND WAS GOING TO WRITE A BOOK.
BUT IT VERY QUICKLY BECAME HER OWN PERSONAL JOURNEY TO FIGURE OUT HER IDENTITY AND WHO SHE WANTED TO BE AS A STROKE SURVIVOR.
WE SAW IT AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO SOME GOOD IN WORK THAT WAS MEANINGFUL TO US OUT OF THIS, YOU KNOW, BAD HAND WE WERE DEALT, WHICH WAS SOMEBODY WITH NO RISK FACTORS, HAVING A STROKE.
♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ OUR MISSION AT STROKE ONWARD IS ABOUT RAIDING AWARENESS AROUND THE IMPORTANCE OF THE EMOTIONAL JOURNEY OF REBUILDING IDENTITY AND THAT THAT IS PART OF A CRITICAL PART OF A RECOVERY PROCESS.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE CAN DO TOGETHER THAT HAS BEEN ON MY BUCKET LIST SINCE I WAS 22 IS RIDE CROSS-COUNTRY.
COULD WE DO IT TOGETHER?
AND AT FIRST WE WERE SAYING OKAY, WHAT WOULD WE FEED TO DO TO SUCCESSFULLY RIDE CROSS-COUNTRY?
AND THAT WAS ABOUT US DOING SOMETHING WE WANTED TO DO.
BUT VERY QUICKLY IT TURNED INTO AND HOW CAN WE USE THAT FOR SOME GREATER GOOD?
HOW CAN WE USE OUR TRIP ACROSS THE COUNTRY TO HELP BUILD STROKE ONWARD, TO HELP SUPPORT THE WORK OF STROKE ONWARD, TO HELP CONTRIBUTE TO THE STROKE COMMUNITY.
AND SO WE REALLY STRUCTURED IT AROUND RAISING AWARENESS FOR STROKE, FOR APHASIA WHICH IS VERY POORLY UNDERSTOOD IN THE UNITED STATES AND THE IMPORTANCE OF THE EMOTIONAL JOURNEY AND REBUILDING IDENTITY.
WE STARTED WITH THE TRANS AMERICA TRAIL WHICH IS THE MOST POPULAR CROSS-COUNTRY TRIP.
AND THEN WE STARTED BRANCHING OFF IT.
♪ I'VE BEEN WALKING THROUGH THE VALLEY ♪ AND MY ROAD STRETCHES ON ♪ ♪ OVER MOUNTAINS, UNDER SHADOWS ♪ BUT I WON'T EVER STOP.
♪ WHEN I AM TIRED.
♪ WHEN I FALL DOWN.
♪ WHEN WAVES COME CRASHING.
♪ WHEN THUNDER SOUNDS.
♪ WHEN I FACE DARKNESS.
♪ WHEN MY HEART POUNDS.
♪ WHEN I AM GOING AGAINST THE CROWD ♪ ♪ CARRY ON.
♪ I WILL CARRY ON ♪ >> A YEAR OF PLANNING AND NOW IT'S HERE.
I'M NOT SURE WE WANT TO DO THIS.
>> IT'S NOT RAINING.
IT'S BEAUTIFUL OUT.
>> JUST KIDDING.
>> GOOD MORNING, DOVE.
HOW ARE YOU?
♪ KEEP MARCHING ON, THROUGH MY DARKEST FEARS ♪ ♪ I WILL RISE UP TO THE HIGHEST HEIGHT UNTIL THEY DISAPPEAR ♪ ♪ WHEN I AM TIRED ♪ WHEN I FEEL DOWN ♪ WHEN WAVES COME CRASHING AND THUNDER SOUNDS ♪ ♪ WHEN I FACE DARKNESS.
♪ WHEN MY HEART POUNDS ♪ ♪ WHEN I AM GOING AGAINST THE CROWD ♪ ♪ CARRY ON ♪ ♪ I WILL CARRY ON ♪ >> WHEN I FIRST HEARD THEY WERE DOING THIS TRIP, I CAN'T SAY I WAS SURPRISED, BECAUSE THAT'S SO IN CHARACTER FOR BOTH OF THEM, JUST TO WANT TO DO SOMETHING SO MONUMENTAL LIKE THIS, RIDING BIKES ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
THEY HAVE ALWAYS BEEN BIG RIDERS.
BUT I ALSO WAS IN AWE-- I MEAN JUST BECAUSE I WASN'T SURPRISED DOESN'T MEAN I WASN'T IN AWE.
I WAS IN LAW BECAUSE OF THE LOGISTICAL CHALLENGES, THE FACT THAT, YOU KNOW, STEVE WOULD LEAVE THE WORK HE WAS DOING AT THE TIME.
AND REALLY FOCUS COMPLETELY ON THIS EFFORT TO REALLY RAISE AWARENESS FOR APHASIA AND STROKE SURVIVORS AND SO IT'S INCREDIBLY INSPIRING.
>> THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TODAY.
I AM DEBRA MEYERSON, STROKE SURVIVOR.
PERSON WHO HAS APHASIA, PROFESSOR OF ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIORIST AT STANFORD AND NOW ADMIN PROFESSOR AT STANFORD AND CO-FOUNDER OF STROKE ONWARD.
IN 2010, I HAD A SEVERE STROKE THAT ROBBED ME OF ALL SPEECH.
I HAD TO RELEARN HOW TO SAY MY NAME, HOW TO MAKE A SOUND.
I LIVE WITH DISABILITIES.
MY RIGHT HAND DOESN'T WORK.
I WALK WITH A LIMP.
MY SPEECH IS REALLY DIFFICULT.
>> NOW WE ARE TRAVELING NINE STATES, CYCLING ACROSS RAIN, SNOW, FREEZING HEAT.
NOW COMES THE MISSOURI, THE SHOW ME STATE.
TWO RULES: IS 1: NEVER QUIT.
2: NEVER QUIT.
>> ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S BEEN GREAT ABOUT OUR RELATIONSHIP IS WE NOT ONLY LOVE EACH OTHER.
WE LIKE A LOT OF THE SAME THINGS, WHICH ENABLES US TO ENJOY LIFE TOGETHER.
I KNOW WHEN I GO OFF AND DO THINGS THAT SHE USED TO DO WITH ME OR USED TO DO ON HER OWN BUT CAN NO LONGER DO, IT'S PAINFUL FOR HER AND IT DOESN'T FEEL GOOD TO DO SOMETHING THAT CAUSES HER PAIN AND AT THE SAME TIME SHE KNOWS IT WOULDN'T BE GOOD FOR OUR RELATIONSHIP IF SHE ASKED OR INSIST TODAY THAT-- INSISTED THAT I STOP DOING THOSE THINGS.
IT'S STRIKING THE BALANCE OF HOW AND WHEN I CAN CONTINUE TO ENJOY THE THINGS THAT I CAN DO THAT SHE CAN NO LONGER DO IN A WAY THAT MAKES THE RELATIONSHIP STRONGER, NOT TEARS IT APART.
I LOVE YOU.
>> ME NEITHER.
>> WE ARE STILL-- A MILE TO GET TO.
>> PERFECT.
GET MY HANDS DIRTY.
>> WHICH NUMBER TREE DOWN IS THIS TODAY?
>> A LOT OF STROKE SURVIVORS, MOST STROKE SURVIVORS GET TOLD MOST RECOVERY HAPPENS IN THE FIRST SIX TO 12 MONTHS.
AND EVERY TIME I'VE HEARD MY PARENTS MENTION THAT, WHEN THEY'RE TALKING TO A STROKE SUPPORT GROUP OR JUST ANY GATHERED GROUP OF STROKE SURVIVORS, IMMEDIATELY EVERYONE STARTS BOOING AND PUTTING THUMB'S DOWN BECAUSE EVERYONE KNOWS IT'S JUST NOT TRUE.
PEOPLE CONTINUE TO REGAIN THEIR CAPABILITIES YEARS AFTER THEY HAVE HAD A STROKE.
MY MOM IS STILL GETTING BETTER 11 YEARS LATER.
THE WAY THAT THE HEALTHCARE SYSTEM, ESPECIALLY IN THE UNITED STATES AND MORE BROADLY TREAT STROKE, IT'S PURELY TREATED AS A MEDICAL AND PHYSICAL RECOVERY.
STROKES SURVIVORS HAVE DEPRESSION.
THEY'VE LOST THE ABILITY TO SPEAK.
OFTEN THEY'VE LOST THEIR JOB.
THEY ARE NOW, IN MANY CASES, MUCH LESS MOBILE.
THEY'VE LOST A HUGE PART OF THEIR IDENTITY.
AND SO THE EMOTIONAL JOURNEY AND THE JOURNEY TO REBUILD MEANING IS JUST NOT SOMETHING THAT IS BUILT INTO THEIR RECOVERY PROCESS.
>> I DON'T WANT TO THROW INSURANCE COMPANIES UNDER THE BUS BY ANY MEANS BUT IT'S A CONSTANT STRUGGLE TO SEE WHAT WE CAN GET COVERED TO PROVIDE THE MAXIMUM AMOUNT OF COVERAGE WITH THE PATIENTS AND IT VARIES DRAMATICALLY.
DEPENDING ON WHAT INSURANCE A PATIENT HAS, WHAT THEY PROVIDE.
THERE IS A LITTLE BIT OF SIMILARITY ACROSS THE BOARD WITH WHAT SERVICES WILL BE PROVIDED BUT OFTEN TIMES YOU HAVE TO FIGHT FOR SOME OF THESE THINGS, ESPECIALLY ONCE THEY LEAVE THE HOSPITAL TO GET COVERED UNDER INSURANCE.
AND SOMETIMES EVEN THEN, AT LEAST A COMPONENT OF IT IS AN OUT OF POCKET EXPENSE FOR PATIENT.
THAT'S ANOTHER THING THAT WE NEED TO LOOK INTO IS HOW DO WE PROVIDE THESE SERVICES, NOT ONLY THE BEST AVAILABLE SERVICES IN TERMS OF THE CLINICAL VALUE BUT THE MOST AFFORDABLE AND MOST ACCESSIBLE SERVICES FOR THESE PATIENTS.
>> IT'S ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT IF EVERYONE YOU TALK TO IS SCREAMING FOR THE NEED BUT IT'S NOT BUILT INTO THE PROCESS, THERE IS A GAP IN THE SYSTEM.
CARE PARTNER IS A TERM I'M SURE WE ARE NOT THE FIRST TO USE IT, BUT WE DIDN'T GET IT FROM ANYBODY ELSE.
WE STARTED USING IT PRETTY EARLY IN THE RECOVERY PROCESS BECAUSE EVERYBODY WAS REFERRING TO ME AS A CAREGIVER.
AND WHEN PEOPLE WOULD COME INTO THE ROOM, DOCTORS, NURSES, ANYBODY, AND START TALKING ABOUT DEB TO ME OR TO HER MOM AND HER CONDITION AND WHAT NEEDED TO BE DONE IN THE THIRD PERSON AND NOT ADDRESSING IT AT DEB, JUST PISSED HER OFF.
YOU KNOW, IT'S KIND OF A SHAME THAT REALLY, REALLY GOOD PEOPLE IN THE MEDICAL SYSTEM DIDN'T DO THIS.
WE WOULD JUST TELL THEM HEY, DEB MAY NOT BE ABLE TO ANSWER BUT SHE IS HEARING EVERYTHING YOU ARE SAYING AND SHE IS PART OF HER OWN CARE.
AND SO THAT WAS THE FIRST PLACE THAT WE SORT OF SAID, YOU KNOW, IF PEOPLE ARE CALLING ME A CAREGIVER, IT ALMOST STRIPS HER OF HER ROLE IN THE PROCESS AND WE WANTED TO CONSCIOUSLY CHANGE PEOPLE'S MINDS ABOUT THAT.
FOR OUR ENTIRE RELATIONSHIP WE DEPENDED ON EACH OTHER, BUT NOW THE DYNAMIC HAD SHIFTED IN THAT THERE WERE THINGS THAT SHE DEPENDED ON ME FOR THAT SHE DIDN'T USED TO.
BUT WE WANTED TO BE VERY DELIBERATE TO SAY THAT DOESN'T MEAN WE ARE NOT PARTNERS ANYMORE.
THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT WE BOTH DON'T HAVE A ROLE IN THIS RELATIONSHIP.
>> STEVE IS GREAT.
AND I... THE... IT'S REALLY THE BIKING IS FINE THE BIKING IS REALLY-- BIKING IS SO OVER THE TOP AND THE CARE PARTNERS, IT'S REALLY A LOT OF-- STEVE IS THERE FOR ME AND I... SKIING AND LIFE IN GENERAL... I'M REALLY GRATEFUL TO STEVE.
[ CHEERING ] >> I'D LIKE TO THINK ABOUT WHAT'S NEXT MY STROKE IS 14 AND A HALF YEARS AGO TWO YEARS AFTER MY STROKE REALLY IMPROVING, AND SOMETIMES IT'S SO GOOD AND SOMETIMES IT IS REALLY BAD AND I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT DIFFERENTIATES THEM, IT'S REALLY CONFUSING.
>> WE JUST FEEL THAT RECOVERY IS NOT JUST DEB'S RECOVERY.
IT'S OUR RECOVERY MUCH AND 2: IT'S FOR LIFE FROM THE CAPABILITIES PERSPECTIVE, DEB IS STILL DOING THERAPY AND STILL ON THE MARGIN GETTING BETTER AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, HOW YOU BALANCE THE SORT OF TWO TRUTHS OF FRUSTRATION AND GRIEF ABOUT WHAT WE'VE LOST WITH THE ABILITY TO CONTINUE TO LIVE FULL AND MEANINGFUL LIVES.
THAT'S A BALANCE THAT WILL KEEP STRUGGLING WITH FOR THE REST OF OUR LIVES.
STROKE IS A CHRONIC CONDITION.
AFTER SOMEONE HAS A STROKE, IT'S NOT "I'M RECOVERED AND I'M DONE."
IT BECOMES A CHRONIC CONDITION AND CHRONIC CONDITIONS NEED MANAGEMENT FOREVER.
>> YEAH.
>> AND THAT'S WHAT WE THINK STROKE RECOVERY REALLY IS.
>> THERE ARE SO MANY THINGS THAT DEB CAN'T DO THE SAME WAY SHE USED TO DO THEM.
BUT THERE IS NO REASON SHE HAS TO GIVE THEM UP.
BUT SOMETIMES IT'S HARD TO FIND THOSE NEW WAYS TO LIVE OUT THOSE SAME OLD VALUES AND OLD ACTIVITIES.
TWO YEARS AGO SOMEONE NOMINATED DEB FOR AN AWARD THAT THE AMERICAN STROKE ASSOCIATION GIVES CALLED THE STROKE HERO AWARD.
AND DEB RECEIVED THAT AWARD.
AND I THINK THAT WAS A REAL RECOGNITION OF HOW MUCH VALUE HER WILLINGNESS TO PUT HERSELF OUT THERE AND, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY, TO LEVERAGE HER ACADEMIC BACKGROUND TO WRITE A BOOK THAT HAS CLEARLY STRUCK A CHORD WITH SO MANY PEOPLE.
AND THAT'S MY WIFE.
I LOVE HER.
♪ ♪ ♪ ♪
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