ADVERTISEMENT

Along Came a Stroke: My Story of Survival and Recovery

We rated this book:

$9.99


Along Came a Stroke is a beautiful memoir written by Eileen Haas that documents the after stages of her stroke that occurred in 2013. Haas starts the book by describing how it felt to have a stroke and the decisions she had to make in a split second once she realized something was very wrong. She describes it as a “warm release” at the back of her head that cascaded down her spine. Her quick thinking caused her to call her friend down the street instead of 911. This, she explains, is because the paramedics would have to break down her door to get in and her friend not only lived close by but also had a key to her house. It was very lucky, to say the least, that her friend picked up the phone and was able to help Eileen.

The book is organized into seven parts and transitions from documentation of what happened while in the hospital and rehab to specifically themed chapters in which Eileen gives advice to her readers about what to do and what not to do during the different phases of a stroke and recovery. One of the largest takeaways I Iearned from this book is that everyone’s recovery time is different. Some doctors may tell a person that they will never walk again, only to be completely wrong because the person’s fighting spirit takes over. I also enjoyed the humor that Eileen brought to the table despite the serious subject. In the chapter “The One Good Thing About The Hospital”, she says, “You can sit up and watch TV…On some days, it does work, but you only get two channels. News and weather, weather and news. Neither one does me any good. The news belongs to someone else, and the weather…when you never go outside, it doesn’t matter.” How true this is!

Eileen also talks about her recovery process in great detail. She had an occupational therapist, two physical therapists, and a speech therapist. Her physical therapists, Bret and Marilyn, did a great job helping Eileen to walk again by starting off slowly. Marilyn played patty cake with Eileen to help with motor skills, and Bret stayed positive throughout her rehab process, cheering her on until she took eight full steps. My favorite chapter in the book was “Exercises for Stroke People” because it lists exercises to do that will help stroke survivors.

Along Came a Stroke is a wonderful book that people of all ages can learn from. Even if you have never had a stroke or don’t know anyone who has, this book is a proactive approach to learning about one of the most common medical emergencies in the world and what to do in case you or someone else has one.

Also available in paperback format $17.99.


Reviewed By:

Author Eileen Haas
Star Count 5/5
Format eBook
Page Count 258 pages
Publisher Bold Story Press
Publish Date 11-Oct-2022
ISBN 9781954805187
Bookshop.org Buy this Book
Issue August 2022
Category Biographies & Memoirs
Share