Amy Ryan
Honoring
We are delighted to share the inspiring journey of Amy Ryan, a true stroke warrior. Amy's story is a testament to resilience and determination, navigating unexpected health challenges with unwavering strength. Through this page, we celebrate her courage and share her remarkable path to recovery.
My Journey: Rising After the Storm
The Unexpected Storm
April 5th, 2020. A day that changed everything. I went to the hospital with what I thought was just a terrible stomach ache. Turns out, it was a perforated bowel, serious stuff. They had to rush me to another hospital, but because I was septic, they couldn't operate right away. I had to wait, and the next morning, I went under the knife. When I woke up… well, that's when they told me. I’d had a stroke during surgery. Can you believe it? I woke up with left-sided weakness, lost peripheral vision in my left eye, and a constant numbness. It was like half my body was a stranger. Thankfully, I could still walk, but from the top of my head to my hip, the left side was… different. It was a shock, a real storm out of nowhere, but even then, I knew I wasn't going to let it define me.
The Long Road to Recovery
They tell me I had therapy in the hospital, but honestly, I don't remember a thing. My first real memories of rehab are from the transfer. I spent a whole month there, working for hours every day with physical and occupational therapists. It was tough, but I pushed through. Then, after a month, I was discharged to outpatient therapy. Six months of that, and then they told me I’d plateaued, that I wasn’t going to improve any further. They said I was done. But I knew better. I wasn't done. Insurance didn't want to pay, but I wasn’t going to stop. I kept working on my own at home, and guess what? I did improve. I proved them wrong. That's the thing about recovery, it's not always linear. You have to keep pushing, even when others tell you to stop. You have to believe in yourself when no one else does.
Triumph and Resilience
There have been so many moments of doubt, so many times I wondered if I'd ever get back to normal. But then, there were the victories. Driving again, for the first time after a year, that was huge. It felt like reclaiming a piece of my independence. And then, after three long years, going back to work. That was another milestone. It wasn't easy, but I did it. These moments, these proud moments, they're what keep me going. They remind me that even after a stroke, even after everything, you can still find your strength. You can still rebuild your life. It's about resilience, about never giving up on yourself. If I can do it, you can too. Remember, you're stronger than you think, and your journey is just beginning.
