Misty Graham
"This Thanksgiving, I have a lot to be thankful for. You see, at the age of just 35 I suffered from two traumatic strokes. They came on slowly, in fact at first I didn't even know what was wrong. It started with a headache, then the next day I started having vertigo. I went to the hospital and found out I had a stroke. I was admitted to the hospital that night and then had a second stroke. I lost feeling of my entire right side of my body and face. My life had changed forever. I had to learn how to walk and even speak again. I was starting over. I was determined to walk again and immediately started working with the Rehab team at Fairview Park Hospital to do so.
I had a great experience and was treated extremely well during my stay at Fairview. I came in for speech, occupational, and physical therapy. Each day, Seirra, who was my occupational therapist, would dedicate time to help me relearn how to bathe myself. She would wrap my right arm to help stabilize me in the exercise machine when I was unable to use full mobility in my arm. Even when she wasn't there, I had wonderful care from other staff members as well. Maria was my speech therapist and would come in daily to provide exercises for me - they sometimes seemed a bit strange and we'd always have a good laugh, but ultimately it was instrumental in my rehabilitation process. Lastly, Nilo was my physical therapist and taught me to walk again. He would sing to me and would encourage me to push myself to fully walk, standing alongside and supporting me the whole way through.
I am so thankful for the Rehab Unit at Fairview Park Hospital. This past October I was able to walk down the isle to be a bridesmaid at my brother-in-law's wedding. I am so thankful for the team there and I truly love every single one of them."
- Misty Graham
