I Thought I Understood Resilience. Then My Husband Had a Stroke
His voice was faint, slurred, not right. I kept trying to understand what he was saying. Then I heard one word: “ambulance.”
I arrived in Los Angeles at 6 a.m., ready to record an audiobook about resilience and healing. My husband, Alan, was recovering from a stroke in Wisconsin. I had spent years studying resilience, but witnessing his struggle made me realize the reality of the concept. When he told the dispatcher, "ambulance," I immediately contacted emergency services and a neighbor.
The paramedics arrived, and Alan was taken to the hospital. His left side was paralyzed, and he lay on the floor for 12 hours. As I flew home, I learned that resilience isn't about a perfect recovery. It's about adapting, practicing, and finding strength in small milestones. Caregiving, though exhausting, taught me the value of patience, presence, and the importance of letting Alan find his independence.
For Alan, milestones like standing, walking with a walker, and ultimately walking independently were life-changing. Love, I learned, isn't always about fixing the situation. Sometimes it's about supporting someone enough to let them discover their own capabilities. Nearly two years later, Alan drives, attends therapy, and even completed a marathon.
He reminds me that resilience is not just about surviving, but also about adapting, staying strong, and allowing both partners to be human.
Written by urgent.news from Newsweek's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
