Sheldon Cadiz dedicated more than 20 years to helping others as an MRI technician in Houston. He served his community with compassion, never imagining he would one day find himself on the other side of patient care. Then it happened. On January 15, 2023, Sheldon suffered a stroke on a work trip and collapsed alone in his hotel room.  

When Sheldon arrived at TIRR Memorial Hermann for acute rehabilitation, he was barely able to walk or speak. Six weeks later, he began the next phase of his recovery at the Centre for Neuro Skills (CNS) inpatient residential program in Houston. Within a month, he was walking without a walker and steadily making progress with his speech. 

Motivated to return home to his wife, Sheldon pushed himself to get better quickly. But there was a setback. He was diagnosed with severe depression, something he had struggled with prior to his stroke but had never addressed. Sheldon realized that it would be a longer road to recovery than he had anticipated. But CNS had an answer. 

“I was terrified of people in the real world,” he said. “CNS helped me become comfortable dealing with people in the real world.” 

To rebuild his confidence, Sheldon participated in weekly community outings to places like malls, museums, and coffee shops. The outings helped him adjust to being in public again and how to socialize.  

Counseling also became an important part of his recovery. In men’s group therapy sessions, Sheldon began to open up and better understand his mental health challenges. 

“I was a very private person,” said Sheldon. “The more I dug deeper in counseling therapy, the more I realized about myself and my depression.”  

Sheldon completed his program and returned home. He created a new daily routine with his wife that included regular walks and exercise, but he missed the community and support he had found during his recovery. After joining a stroke support group, Sheldon was empowered to lead his own support group and continue sharing his story.  

Today, Sheldon leads a monthly stroke support group at the CNS clinic in Houston. He shares his experience and supports both current and former patients who are going through similar challenges. 

“Not only am I connecting with my peers again, but I’m also able to give back,” said Sheldon.