Reinventing My World: Life After Stroke is an inspiring, personal memoir about a woman’s determination, hope and faith after a shocking incident which drastically changed her life.
“March 2nd, 2020 started like any other. Little did I know the events that started that day would bring about a drastic change to my life. I was sitting in my favorite spot, a leather recliner with my feet elevated and my laptop on my knees. As I sat there playing solitaire, I became aware of my tongue feeling “funny”. It was not numb, just fuzzy. As a first aid instructor for the past 30 years, I was well aware of the signs and symptoms associated with a stroke. Immediately I rose and ran to the bathroom to look at myself in the mirror. The face that stared back at me appeared normal, no hint of a droop on either side. Since I had run to the bathroom, obviously there was no problem with coordination. My balance was not affected. Just to confirm, I held out both arms in front of me. Both of them remained steady. Breathing a sigh of relief, I returned to my comfortable chair.
At approximately 2 a.m. I awoke. I was still very aware of the fuzzy tongue. Again, I went to the bathroom to check out my face. Just as before, there was no telltale droop and no arm drift. Still feeling uneasy I woke my husband Alvin and told him I felt I needed to go to the hospital. “Should we call an ambulance or can I drive you?” he questioned.
This was the start of a 7 month journey from near death to overcoming obstacles the medical profession did not believe I was capable of. Three months were spent with my body trying to heal in order to live, the other four were spent in rehab. My next year and a half culminated in walking with a cane and driving very short distances. Determination and persistence were key elements. This book is about an extraordinary will to not only survive but to thrive.”
What people are saying about Reinventing My World: Life After Stroke:
“Life itself is a journey with peaks and valleys, roadblocks and challenge along the way. Sometimes a detour like a serious health issue can happen. That is what happened to Joslien.
When she suffered a stroke, she did not give up and feel sorry for herself. Instead she channeled all her energy into getting better with the resources that were available to her. With the support and encouragement from those around her she trudged forward.
Her personal story demonstrates such dedication, perseverance and loads of hard work which has enabled her to accomplish so much in her amazing recovery of today.
Her story portrays the challenges she took in stride as she kept her goal of wanting to walk again in mind. She never let herself be defeated but instead adopted a positive “can-do” attitude which, through that determination and hard work, would bring her closer to her goal. We all can benefit from taking a page from Joslien’s book of life.
This book is an inspirational read. Everyone should include it in their personal library. Read it from time to time when things in your world are not going along as planned.”
M.Z. retired teacher, Sherwood Park
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“I was going to read a tiny bit before bed. However I couldn’t put the book down until I finished it. I was also having a pity party for myself and when I finished reading it, I decided life wasn’t as dark as I thought.”
K.E. Health Care Worker, Beaver County
