In November 2021, my husband had a stroke leaving his right side paralyzed and his speech affected. This brilliant man who has helped so many people recover from trauma, abuse, addiction, and more was rendered unable to even fend for himself right before my eyes. I was immediately thrust into the role of patient advocate, caregiver, therapist, cheerleader, and single mom as my entire world turned upside down. Oh, and I just started my dream job working with the team at StellarWP. In this very vulnerable talk, I will share stories of hope and learning in the midst of devastating challenges in my life. The harder the challenge became, the more I found strength within myself. Something miraculous began to happen, and I did things I never thought I could do. It left me wondering whether or not we can tap into that inner strength without having to face adversity, or if we need these events in order to see who we really are. And what does that mean next? I’ll also share what worked in the journey through this challenge, and what didn’t work at all. What do I wish I knew earlier? What was the one thing that someone said to me that gave me strength and made me realize I was stronger than I thought I was?
