Why? I don’t know. Maybe I don’t want people to see me as weak or needing help. Maybe I’m just too full of pride to own it. Well, today I own it. I am a stroke survivor. There. I said it. I own it. Remember the Velveteen Rabbit? Maybe I became real today.
Many people know I suffered a ruptured cerebral aneurysm nearly six years ago. That’s no secret. But I’ve never said I had a stroke, and today I am saying it. I had a stroke. Here’s the blood and cerebral fluid that was draining from my brain. There. That’s real.
And here’s me, testing myself in the Neuro ICU to see if I could walk up stairs shortly after the big event…
Why tonight? Why am I proclaiming that I am a stroke survivor and not framing it as a ruptured aneurysm? I am on a plane right now traveling home on election night from Hawaii after a long layover en route from Australia where we traveled to visit our son and his wife. I should just be savoring the memories of an incredible trip right now.
So what’s up? On the plane, I paid for wifi in order to follow election night news. Some things I saw on this flight have pushed me past my pride or whatever it is to just say I had a stroke. Maybe it’s this?
Put aside political party dynamics for a minute, okay? You can do it. I don’t care if you are a Republican, Democrat, Independent, Green, or whatever, this is admirable. I also don’t know if Mr. Fetterman will actually end up as the winner in this race, as it is pretty tight as of this hour (11:31 PST). That’s not my point.
Mr. Fetterman was knocked down by a stroke six months ago and got back up. I guess I was knocked down by a stroke, too. I think he pushed me over the edge tonight to go ahead and use the S-word.
Then there’s this…
And this…
So, whether Mr. Fettinger wins the seat or not, I congratulate him. I congratulate him for his courage to get up and keep going. I thank him for helping me become a little more real tonight.
This is not so much a political post as it is a contrast between courage and something else. Draw your own conclusions about something else.
Thank you, Mr. Fettinger, for your courage.
Mr. Trump, please learn from Mr. Fettinger. Your words are offensive.
May our nation’s leaders be people of deep integrity and compassion.