At
the age of 34, on Sunday, September 26, 2010 I suffered a stroke, which ended
my legal career and left me temporarily paralyzed on my left side. I spent 11
fun filed days in the hospital and 11 days luxuriating in a rehab facility. I
joke about those 22 days and the past year, but I haven't had a vacation in
YEARS prior to "the accident." (From here on I will no longer be
using the s-word). I had been
practicing law since 2002 and barely stopped working until I collapsed...at
work of all places...on a Sunday! Thank goodness for my fast acting co-workers
or else I wouldn't be blogging to you right today (whatever the date stamp on
this entry is).
When
I woke up on Monday morning I felt like an elephant was sitting on my chest and
sliding down on to the left side of my body. Not until I left the rehab did I
realize I lost all pain sensation on the right side of my body. Can you imagine
feeling an itch but never being able to satisfy that itch or being able to put
your hand on a hot pot and not even realizing it until you see the scab on your
hand a few days later? My face was in constant pain starting with my sinus area
and radiating throughout. A steady stream of drool constantly threatened to
escape the left side of my mouth.
Not being able to dress myself, bend, walk, and COOK! The worst part of all was the sensation
of being either on the Disney World teacups or feeling like I was just getting
off. I was continually dizzy. Even when I closed my eyes the dizziness was
unbearable!
What
was my life before the accident? I was a practicing attorney for 8 years, too
many pounds overweight, but given a clean bill of health by my ph two days
prior to my accident. Boy, was she
wrong! Although I hated my profession due to stress, I could never find the
resolve to walk away and find my true passion. At the time my latest excuse was
that the job market and economy was tanking, so it as best that I stay put
"for now." For the longest time though, I had been asking for a way
out. Oddly, this stroke has given me no choice but to find something different
to spend my productive years doing.
For that reason, I'm grateful for the stroke. But for this accident, I
would have not had the strength to make this change. Now, I am unable to do the
work, and therefore, have no choice. THANK YOU!
While
I was in the rehab facility I spent quite a bit of time listening to the
Cooking Channel. Their motto, by the way, is "Stay Hungry." Listening
to that message every day several times a day was one of many things that
helped pull me through. I also listened to the Boomerang Channel and Cooking
Channel. The retro cartoons
brought me back to a simpler time in my life.
But
"Stay Hungry." Cooking Channel's slogan remains with me to this day.
While I was listening to Cooking Channel...
Let
me pause the story here for a second. I bet you're asking, "Why was she
listening to TV?" Well, the dizziness was so horrible that I spent the
better part of two months with my eyes closed as the room spun around me.
Without getting too technical I had cranial nerve damage, which left me double
vision and dizziness still today. I'm just much more tolerant of it now.
(Back
to my story...) An exercise for my eyes that I did on my own while in the rehab
was writing on a pad or typing out on the memo pad on my cell phone the menu
for dinner parties with various themes, celebrating various holidays, or
catering events I had catered in my home in the past but with a brand new
menu. Seven courses, a little gift,
and the wine and spirits options several times a day worked my brain,
By
Thanksgiving I directed my brother on how to make one of my famous (in my mind
anyway) bread puddings and by December I was sitting up and chopping a little
bit (until I sliced my finger)!
One year later, with much assistance I cook many of my favorite dinner
party recipes and test out new recipes. I'm also looking forward to the next
year of having dinner parties and sharing my menus and recipes with you!
No comments:
Post a Comment