Stroked

This is me... having a stroke.

Except, at this particular moment, no one knew I was having a stroke.
Because that just isn't a common thing for 36 yr. olds.
This was the period at the end of a sentence.
Everything that had come before was over now.
This was the moment "before" and "after" became sharply separated.

The doctor came in and drew a picture that looked like a torn water hose.
A Vertebral Artery Dissection.
A flap-like tear in the inner lining of an artery in my neck,
where the blood was now pooling and forming a clot,
and blocking blood flow to my brain.
Later, part of that clot would break loose 

and cause more damage in the left hemisphere of my brain.
What can I say... it was a bad day.

There is so much more to the story...
and I'll do my best to tell it.
A little bit at a time...
you see, my brain doesn't quite work the way it used to.
But I'm still here.

I'm still here!