200. Surrounded by Love: Live Reading of my Book's First Chapter and Taking Audience Questions

I am beyond excited to welcome you to the 200th episode of "Aging in Style." It's incredible to think that we've come this far, and I am so grateful for your ongoing support. This episode is particularly special for me because it coincides with the launch of my new book, "Surrounded by Love: One Family’s Journey Through Stroke Recovery."

I launched the book on Amazon in the third week of July, and it's already topping new release categories in aging parents and strokes. I'm thrilled and truly believe this book will reach the individuals who need it most – caregivers, advocates of critically ill loved ones, and anyone who might find solace and guidance in our story.

Our Story

For those of you who have been following along with the podcast, you know my story. My husband, Mark, had the first in a series of four strokes on Christmas Day 2022. This unexpected journey has taught us so much about strokes, caregiving, grief, and significantly strengthened my faith. I've shared much of this on the podcast, but I wanted to compile our experiences and insights into a book that could potentially help prevent strokes and assist others in similar situations. Statistically, 80 percent of strokes are preventable, and sharing this knowledge is my mission.

Live Stream Highlights

Recently, we hosted a live stream where I did a reading of the first chapter from my book and took audience questions. Despite a few technical difficulties initially, we had a great turnout and lots of engagement from viewers. I am immensely grateful to those who participated, and I want to share some key moments from that livestream.

Live Reading of Chapter One

The first chapter of my book, titled "The Moment Life Changed," covers the day Mark had his first stroke. I've re-lived that day countless times, wondering if I could have done anything differently. The chapter describes our Christmas day, the suddenness of the stroke, and our frantic rush to the hospital. The immediacy of the situation and the ensuing medical procedures are etched into my memory – from recognizing the signs of a stroke using the FAST acronym (Face, Arms, Speech, Time) to the life-changing experience of having Mark transported by helicopter to urgent care.

The chapter also highlights the importance of being an effective advocate for a loved one in medical crises and how crucial it is to have knowledgeable support systems in place. Writing down and sharing my feelings, day-to-day experiences, and the medical processes we navigated has been therapeutic and, I hope, will be beneficial to others.

Audience Q&A

During the live stream, viewers asked some insightful questions:

1. Role in ICU: When in the ICU with a loved one, it's vital to ask questions and stay informed about their condition. I relied heavily on my medical background and support from friends and family in the healthcare field to navigate through Mark's care.
2. Faith's Role: My faith has grown stronger through this ordeal. While such an event could fracture one’s faith, for me, it provided strength and a perspective that we could turn this challenging journey into something positive.
3. Content of the Book: Viewers were curious about the writing process and what I chose to include or leave out. I aimed to be as honest and comprehensive as possible, albeit removing a few potentially contentious sections under advice.

Reflection and Moving Forward

As we celebrate this podcast milestone and the launch of my book, I am filled with gratitude and a renewed sense of purpose. Your support fuels my mission to raise awareness about stroke prevention and caregiving. If our story can help even one person, it will all have been worth it.

Key Takeaways:

1. Around 80%