Stroke Patient Hopeful for a Bright Future

As a 36-year old Digital Marketing Manager living with her boyfriend and dog, Christie was excited to begin the new year with her loved ones. But on January 2, 2022, Christie began feeling dizzy and hot while grocery shopping with her mother. She suffered a stroke, which led to cognitive deficits, left-side weakness, and emotional dysregulation.

“It was very alarming to not remember what happened to me,” says Christie.

When Christie first arrived to Centre for Neuro Skills’ (CNS) Dallas clinic in March 2022, she was hyper-resistant to therapy and lacked motivation. Through intensive neurorehabilitation therapy, counseling, and family encouragement, Christie slowly regained her confidence.

“The counselors at CNS have an innate understanding of what people like myself are going through,” she said. In group therapy, Christie was able to listen to other patients’ stories and begin to accept this new chapter of her life.  

Now, Christie has progressed through the levels of care at CNS, moving from our residential in-patient program in Dallas to attending day treatment at our Austin location. Christie has started back-to-work preparedness therapy sessions each week. Through assigned work tasks on her computer, Christie is strengthening her typing dexterity, reaction speed, and multi-tasking cognitive abilities.

“One of the pinnacle things about CNS is they will design a program about what you want to accomplish,” says Christie, who hopes to return to work someday soon.

Christie has returned to living with her supportive and loving boyfriend, Gatlin. Together, they enjoy gardening and spending time with their Australian Shepherd, Cali. She is excited to continue therapy and return to her active lifestyle of travelling and scuba diving prior to her injury. In May, Christie attended the American Heart Association Austin Heart Ball, an annual gala that honors stroke survivors and raises awareness on heart health. Despite her initial fears, Christie has a newfound sense of dignity and hope for the possibilities that lie ahead.