The day everything changed

Where it all went down
London, ON
August 2016
This photo originally shared on Instagram

Today's an interesting day in the story that is me: It was six years ago today that I had a stroke.

As you've probably guessed by virtue of the fact that I'm writing this, I survived. Even better, I managed to do so with most of my admittedly already-scrambled grey matter fairly intact. I was lucky enough to have a wife who recognized what was going on immediately, kids who helped her at every step, and world-class medical care a short drive from our house.

We were, and are, also lucky enough to be surrounded by a community of friends who dropped everything and surrounded us with everything we needed to ensure we made it through arguably the most terrifying chapter of our lives.

I didn't overtly share my story until a year had passed, and even then I didn't make that big a deal of it. At the time, I didn't want to be perceived as "that guy", the one whose stroke defined him in the eyes of others.

I eventually changed my tune, because stroke awareness is one of those things that can make the difference between living well, living not-so-well, or not living at all. I've heard stories from so many people who didn't get the help they needed within the magic window of opportunity that defines every stroke victim's timeline. I've seen lives that could have taken a different turn, but didn't, because someone - victim or family member - blew it off, figuring it was "nothing".

But there is no "nothing" when it comes to stroke awareness, no middle ground. You either get care as it's happening, or you and those around you suffer every day thereafter. If my story resonates with one person, then it's worth sharing.

The photo? Wonderland and Nine Mile Road, the rural intersection north of London where I accidentally tore my carotid artery and permanently changed my family's trajectory.

They say you should always remember where you came from. Well, I remember the places where my life changed.

Weird? Definitely. But words can't express how happy I am to have been given the chance to continue being weird at all.

#ldnont #london #ontario #canada #photooftheday #instagood #nofilter #nofilterneeded #photography #lifeinthemargins #stroke #awareness #family #everything

Related entries:
- So, about that stroke - August 2014
- When even "thank you" seems lame - August 2014
- More stroke stuff... - August 2014
- Coming up on Canada AM - Lookahead to February 2015 interview
- Winding down the day that was - February 2015 - incl link to Canada AM/Heart/Stroke Month segment
- Life at the crossroads - April 2015
- Two years on... - August 2015
- Three bonus years - August 2016
- Four years later - August 2017
- Five years on - August 2018
- Luke Perry could have been me - or any of us - March 2019