My Stroke of Insight

I read this book following my father's stroke and, though his stroke was of a different nature, I found this book immensely helpful in understanding what a stroke is, how it works, and how to care for a survivor afterward.

The fact that Dr. Taylor could recall her stroke with such clarity and defined herself as wounded rather than deficient helped me see how to interact with stroke survivors and grateful that some of the tactics she encourages came to me naturally.

This book is full of understandable information that you can apply immediately when you're face to face with stroke.

I recommend it to anyone who wants to gain insight to the workings of the brain even if you never think you'll need to apply it to stroke for yourself or a loved one.

AMAZON

The astonishing New York Times bestseller that chronicles how a brain scientist's own stroke led to enlightenment

On December 10, 1996, Jill Bolte Taylor, a thirty-seven- year-old Harvard-trained brain scientist experienced a massive stroke in the left hemisphere of her brain. As she observed her mind deteriorate to the point that she could not walk, talk, read, write, or recall any of her life-all within four hours-Taylor alternated between the euphoria of the intuitive and kinesthetic right brain, in which she felt a sense of complete well-being and peace, and the logical, sequential left brain, which recognized she was having a stroke and enabled her to seek help before she was completely lost. It would take her eight years to fully recover.

For Taylor, her stroke was a blessing and a revelation. It taught her that by "stepping to the right" of our left brains, we can uncover feelings of well-being that are often sidelined by "brain chatter." Reaching wide audiences through her talk at the Technology, Entertainment, Design (TED) conference and her appearance on Oprah's online Soul Series, Taylor provides a valuable recovery guide for those touched by brain injury and an inspiring testimony that inner peace is accessible to anyone.