When our bodies betray us through illness, injury, or something as sudden as a stroke, it can feel like the end of the world. The rhythms of everyday life are upended. What once felt simple becomes uncertain. In those moments, we’re forced to confront not just physical limitations but emotional ones too: grief, fear, frustration, and the question, What now?
In My Stroke of Blessings: A Message of Hope, author and former high school teacher Liv Rosin answers that question with honesty, grit, humor, and grace. After suffering a subarachnoid hemorrhage, an often fatal type of stroke, Liv was thrust into a reality she never imagined.
Her left side was paralyzed. Her independence vanished overnight. But what she lost physically, she rebuilt emotionally and spiritually, piece by piece. Her memoir isn’t just about surviving a stroke. It’s about rediscovering life on new terms.
From Breakdown to Breakthrough
Liv’s stroke struck on an ordinary school day. One moment, she was grading papers; the next, she was on the floor, unable to stand. The cause? Years of untreated high blood pressure, a silent danger that had also taken her grandmother and, years later, would claim her sister. The diagnosis shook her world, but it also became the catalyst for transformation.
In the ICU and later at the Courage Kenny Rehabilitation Institute, Liv began the hard work of recovery. She had to relearn how to walk, dress herself, and process everyday tasks. Through it all, she clung to one vital piece of advice: focus on small victories. That mindset, celebrating what can be done, even when the road is long, became the cornerstone of her healing.
Healing With Humor and Humanity
What makes Liv’s story so memorable isn’t just her courage; it’s her wit. Whether she’s joking about her “flight risk” hospital socks or riffing off The Wizard of Oz to cope with constipation, her sense of humor is a powerful tool for connection and resilience. It’s in these lighthearted moments that we see the full depth of her humanity, not just as a patient but as a person refusing to be defined by her diagnosis.
She also never walks alone. Her husband, children, friends, fellow teachers, and even her nurses become essential parts of her recovery. For caregivers and loved ones, her story is a moving reminder of how much impact a small act of kindness can have.
A Story That Speaks Beyond Stroke
Liv’s journey touches anyone who has faced a sudden shift in health or identity. Her reflections on free will and health choices are candid and necessary. Her growth mindset, fueled by the science of neuroplasticity and her own persistence, offers hope that the brain and life can adapt even when it seems impossible.
She doesn’t promise an easy road. Pain remains. Loss lingers. Liv offers something more enduring: the wisdom to keep moving, the faith to believe in tomorrow, and the courage to embrace a life you didn’t expect but one that still holds joy, meaning, and connection.
Why This Memoir Matters
My Stroke of Blessings is not just for stroke survivors. It’s for anyone learning to navigate a new normal, whether that’s after illness, loss, or personal upheaval. Liv Rosin’s voice is both a guide and a companion, showing us that even when life changes in the most dramatic ways, there is still beauty to be found in each day, humor to share, and love to lean on.
Read this book and witness one woman’s resilience in the face of impossible odds.
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