The Power of Stories

Yesterday, Eric and I were fortunate enough to take part of a panel on stroke education led by a neurologist with OhioHealth at the Go Red for Women Luncheon in Columbus and I was left with some amazing inspirational stories from some amazing women. I met one particular woman named, Christina, and we both agreed that our stories were so similar that it was like looking at each other in the mirror: we are both about the same age, we were newly married at the time of our strokes, we both have multiple kids, we both got our strokes from a dissection from our carotid artery, and we both have similar physical after effects. (She's an extremely strong woman, though because she had not just one stroke, but FOUR strokes). We spoke after the luncheon when I learned how similar our lives were, and when we were parting and I lent my hand to shake, she hugged me. That is what sharing stories is about, and it is exactly why we need to share our stories. 

We all have a story and we all need validation with our stories. Every time I talk to others about their stroke stories in the two separate support groups, I’m invariably left with comments like, “I know, me too!” or “I know, isn’t it weird?” or “Wow, that sounds just like me!” These are the kind of things that doctors will never be able to tell you and what you really should expect. It’s the community that will really help you to recover, whatever life events you have. When I was a new mother, and the blogging craze started, there were thousands of “mommy bloggers” cropping up all over the internet. I found myself at the time loving the authentic exchanges from other mothers who were writing about all of the same things. Obviously, the topic of motherhood is not a new thing, but talking and writing about it in such a global sense gave a level of sanity that we needed. So whether it’s an illness, or whatever life event you are experience, it’s these stories that help us to recover and clearly there are thousands of them out there. 

We relayed the story of my stroke to the audience at the panel (Eric spoke unbelievably well!) with candor and knowledge, the only way we knew. Eric and I have always thought that we have a “helluva story” about our lives in the last 2 years, and maybe we do. But you know what? There’s another “helluva story” out there in just the next town over. Find them, and you have struck gold for your recovery.