This week on Beyond Stillness: Stories After Stroke, we welcome guest Michelle Humphrey or StrokeMom as she is known on social media.  Michelle invites us into a deeply personal journey—one that challenges the definition of a “real” life and a “real” job. Our guest reflects on the day everything changed: a bi-lateral pons stroke during pregnancy at age 43, a confrontation with death, and the unrelenting challenge of rebuilding a life that no longer fit society’s expectations.

From a hospital bed to a daily practice of gratitude, from the loss of loved ones to becoming an energy-giving presence, this story uncovers the lessons that death teaches us about living. It’s about grieving, growing, and redefining what it means to show up authentically, even in the face of unimaginable hardship.

Through humor, heartbreak, and honesty, we’ll hear how the best parts of life emerge from the worst—and how embracing a “Pollyanna mindset” can be a powerful, liberating act. Let’s dive in and uncover what it means to live your REAL life, no matter the circumstances.

Michelle's Suggested Resources:

• • Death Taught Us How To Live w AVM Superhero
  • Jess Karp on YouTube
  • Journey Care Hospice
  • Mather Institute - Ruth Geary's Classes
  • Michelle's Instagram and Facebook
  • Pollyanna by Eleanor H Porter
  • Shirley Ryan Ability Lab
  • University of Wisconsin - Madison

Community Conversation Prompts:

• How has your understanding of time shifted since your stroke? 
• What does living in the present moment mean to you now?
• In what ways has grief helped you grow?