On the Other Side of a Stroke: A Woman’s Journey to Wellness

Key Takeaways:

• Beth Bonness, after experiencing a mini-stroke and subsequently a more severe stroke, transformed her lifestyle and chose a plant-based diet as part of her recovery and newfound health consciousness.
• Despite her physical limitations caused by her medical conditions, Beth became an advocate for a healthier lifestyle, tracking her nutrition, exercise, and meditation as part of her daily regimen.
• Throughout her challenges, Beth started writing, recording her experiences and transformation. This introspective process resulted in a published collection of poetry and a writing group for survivors of stroke and brain injury.
• Beth’s transformative journey illustrates the power of choosing a plant-based diet and the importance of maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Her story could serve as inspiration and motivation for those struggling with similar health challenges.

Beth Bonness, a resident of Portland, Oregon, was living a standard life until an unexpected health event took her by surprise. Her experience has now pushed her to choose a plant-based diet and become more mindful of her health. This story tells of her journey to recovery.

An Unexpected Medical Event

Beth Bonness found herself in a peculiar situation in the familiar environment of her long-time hairstylist. As she narrated a humorous event from a Rome trip, her stylist signaled her to stop. Beth was told that her lips were unmoving, even though she felt as if she were speaking. This symptom, accompanied by a throbbing in her temple and visual irregularities, vanished as abruptly as it appeared.

Despite her hairstylist’s concern, Beth played down the episode, reassuring herself and the confused stylist that she was okay. She carried on with her day, joining her family at a nearby restaurant. It was only later, resting at home, that she revealed her mysterious episode to her husband, Jeff McCaffrey. Taking no chances, they sought immediate medical help.

The Diagnosis and the Challenges

At the hospital, elevated blood pressure was detected in Beth. After running some tests, she was told that she experienced a TIA (Transient Ischemic Attack), a mini-stroke blocking the blood flow to the brain due to a clot. This phenomenon can often be a precursor to a more severe stroke within a year for about a third of TIA patients.

Dismissive of her condition due to her age and fitness level, Beth resumed her life. Not long after, while grocery shopping, she experienced the same symptoms, followed by another episode during a family meal where she struggled with speech and finding the right words, a condition known as aphasia.

Upon a subsequent visit to the hospital, she learned that she had suffered a stroke resulting from carotid artery dissection. Beth then embarked on a journey of recovery, battling aphasia, self-doubt, and physical limitations that significantly impacted her life.

Embracing a Plant-Based Lifestyle

In dealing with her health challenges, Beth changed her lifestyle and diet. She chose a plant-based diet over comfort foods and started focusing on her health like a major project, diligently tracking her nutrition, exercise, and meditation.

As the treatment progressed, Beth gradually reduced her stroke-related medication, maintaining her healthier lifestyle. Being an efficient multi-tasker, she also managed a major project of saving and restoring a historical home in her neighborhood during her transition towards health consciousness.

Putting Experience Into Words

The process of dealing with her health condition and the tremendous task of home restoration compelled Beth to dig deeper into her life. She started writing a book about her experiences, facing head-on the changes brought by her stroke.

Writing gave her an opportunity to acknowledge the ordeal she went through, contemplate the changes in her life, and see the positive impact of those changes. Jeff, her husband, admired her grit and determination, which not only motivated her but also inspired him, especially after facing cancer treatment twice.

The introspection transformed into a cathartic retrospective as she wrote poems about her journey with stroke, even publishing her poetry collection. In an attempt to help others, she started a writing group for survivors of stroke and brain injury.

Through her journey, Beth has learned to turn her challenges into strengths, using her experiences to inspire and support others. As she suggests, “Every experience you have, all that travels with you.”