A Stroke of Grace: My Unexpected Wake-Up Call

Hey friends,

If you’ve been following my recent posts, you already know that last Friday started out… differently than I expected. I woke up to my sweet (and very direct) husband Tray looking at me and saying, “What is wrong with your face?!” Slightly offended, I tried to answer, but the words weren’t coming out right.

Tray wasn’t having any of my “I’m fine” protests. He got me to Marshall Primary Care where Dr. Pettit was already ready to give me the lecture of a lifetime about why I should have been in an ambulance. I tried to answer her… but the truth is, none of us could understand what I was saying. But her and Tray had my back. We headed straight to the ER at Marshall Medical Centers North, and thanks to their quick thinking, the team was waiting for us.

The confirmation came: I’d had a small stroke. It is truly a God thing that Tray was home that morning. If he hadn’t been, I probably would’ve just taken migraine meds and gone back to bed. I’ve heard so many stories over the years about how Tray has helped save lives in our community — now I feel like I’m number 101 on that list.

Use the B.E.F.A.S.T. method to spot sudden stroke warning signs.

• B - Balance: Sudden loss of balance or coordination.

• E - Eyes: Sudden changes in vision or blurred vision.

• F - Face: Face drooping on one side.

• A - Arms: Arm weakness or numbness (especially on one side).

• S - Speech: Slurred speech, difficulty speaking, or trouble understanding speech.

• T - Time: Time to call 911.

https://www.thestrokefoundation.org/

The ER staff moved fast. CTs, MRIs, and tests happened quickly, and they got me transferred to the Neuro Intensive Care Unit at UAB. I’m still amazed at how well everyone coordinated. From the moment I arrived, I felt like I had a whole team of advocates fighting for me.

The good news? The scans showed I do, in fact, have a brain and a heart (which my family is probably relieved to hear), and while my speech and texting aren’t perfect yet, my sense of humor is fully intact!

I even got a surprise facial in the ICU and got to see one of my babies plus sweet friends Corri and Jeramy. Little blessings in the middle of the chaos.

I’m already seeing improvement. That scary episode only lasted about 15 minutes before things started turning around. Tray’s been lovingly reminding me I’m not quite ready to jump back into everything full speed — and for once, I’m not arguing with the boss. My stress load is about to drop dramatically, and I’m actually looking forward to it. Slowing down, leaning on the people I love, and taking better care of this body God gave me feels like the right next chapter.

To everyone who has checked on me, prayed for me, sent flowers, or just held space for our family: I’m so grateful. The outpouring of love has been overwhelming in the best way.

If you take anything from my story, let it be this: Listen to the people who love you when they say something is wrong. Time matters with a stroke, and getting help quickly made all the difference. I’m walking away from this with a deeper appreciation for my family, my community, and the incredible medical teams who took such good care of me.

Recovery is happening day by day. My words are coming back, my energy is returning, and my hope is stronger than ever. And yet, since the stroke, I keep hearing the same sweet advice over and over: “You need to take some of your stress off.” I know people mean it with love — I really do. But if I’m being honest, I still haven’t figured out exactly how to do that.

I can rest.

I can pray.

I can try to slow down.

Stress doesn’t come with an off switch. Life keeps

life-ing, responsibilities keep rolling in, and some days even the smallest things feel heavy.

What I do know is that God has carried me through this season, Tray has been a steady blessing, and I am learning that healing is not always neat, quick, or simple.

Life is precious, y’all. I plan to live it more intentionally, with less stress and a whole lot more gratitude.

Thank you for being part of my village. I’ll keep you updated on the comeback story — because that’s exactly what this is.

With love and a still-working smile,

p.s. If you figure out how to “take some stress off,” please let me know.