John M.
Monday, May 2, 2011
By: John Murphy

Survivor

Miracles don't just happen

I learned to ask "what steps will I need to take before I can?" Instead of listening to voice that says "I can't"

On October 9, 2005 only hours after completing the Chicago Marathon, I suffered a major Stroke. After 4 days in an ICU, 5 weeks of hard work at an in-patient rehab center, I returned to Austin,TX still in wheelchair not even ready for long walks or crossing a street. And so, began another cycle of rehab - 10 months of outpatient rehab.

I celebrated passing of one year after my stroke by "jogging" (safely w/ E.G. my BP was monitored over a carefully planned schedule of swimming, biking, skipping and jogging carefully) in the Austin Heart Walk- i also managed to conduct a remarkably successful ($10,000) online fund-raising campaign.

In retrospect I probably should have just WALKED? BUT the discovery that reacquiring a level of function I only dreamed of was possible - by simply breaking what seemed impossible into a sequence of smaller progressive steps. At that point I was "too cool for school":-) but too confused and impulsive to consider full-time employed. And,so? I coordinated and publicized a series of public speaking sessions "Stroke Talks." While I might never return to full-time employment, these were steps I could take!

Doing it again here! I BETTER HIT "NEXT STEP"?