A woman has shared her horrifying experience of waking up unable to speak after a sudden stroke at the age of just 22.
Courtney Gabrus was born with a rare form of muscular dystrophy (MD), an incurable genetic condition that causes progressive muscle weakness.
Despite doctors predicting she wouldn’t live past 16, the now-29-year-old was thriving – until a sudden stroke in her early 20s changed everything.
Courtney woke up with her “brain on fire” after the incident in 2016, and found she had lost the ability to speak, write and the use of her right arm.
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Since then, the brave young woman has had to relearn how to do everything from scratch, and has shared how she managed to overcome this to become stronger than ever.
“Waking up and being unable to talk felt like a nightmare,” Courtney, from Long Island, New York, told NeedToKnow.co.uk.
“It was undoubtedly the darkest day of my life.
“It changed my life forever.
“Before the stroke, I was thriving, living independently for the first time in my junior year of college studying psychology at my dream school.”
Prior to the stroke, Courtney – who lives with LMNA-related MD, an extremely rare subtype of muscular dystrophy that only affects approximately a few hundred people – had experienced some worrying symptoms.
She said: “Two days before I had the stroke, I visited the emergency room with heart attack symptoms.
“The hospital insisted on overnight observation because of my MD, but they weren’t overly concerned.
“I spent a day and a half in the hospital.
“Given my health condition, I didn’t pay much attention to it.
“I went to sleep on the second day eager to return home.
“I woke up three days later surrounded by my family.
“My aunt explained that I had suffered a severe stroke and had been in a coma.
“I was completely bewildered and without a clear understanding of the severity or how it had transpired.
“The expressions on the faces of my friends and family added to the gravity of the situation.”
The cause of Courtney’s stroke remains unknown, though she describes it as like her brain was on “fire”.
In the aftermath, she lost her ability to talk and write, as well as the use of her right arm.
She said: “The entire experience was incredibly frightening and isolating.
“I spent about a week and a half in the ICU, followed by three weeks in rehab.
“Worse than the physical injuries was surviving the depression that the stroke left behind.
“It was like I had to adapt to this whole new world.”
Courtney dedicated three years to physical and speech therapy in order to regain the use of her arm and her ability to speak, while also living with her progressing MD.
She said: “I am immensely proud of my determination and resilience.
“Every day for three years was an uphill battle.
“I had to move back to New York and leave behind the life I cherished in Florida.
“The progression of this illness makes every day different, and reflecting on the independence I enjoyed in my earlier years is a poignant reminder of the changes that have taken place.
“I not only reclaimed my voice, defying doctors’ expectations, but I also secured my dream job as a graphic designer after self-studying graphic design for the four years following my stroke.”
Courtney has even gone on to start her own company, Life Outside the Lines, creating all-inclusive colouring books for children.
She added: “This is a representation of the community I wished for during my own childhood.
“Living with muscular dystrophy is truly a rollercoaster of emotions.
“It’s tough to cope with the scarcity of information and resources, given that this condition is so uncommon – perhaps affecting only around 200 people.
“Seeking medical help often feels like being in uncharted territory, and the lack of awareness can make doctor visits an isolating experience.
“Each day presents its own set of challenges, but I am profoundly grateful for the gift of my life.
“Despite doctors once predicting that I might not survive past 16, here I am, navigating this difficult journey at 29.”
Courtney uses Instagram (@courtneygabrus ), to document her journey with MD and stroke recovery.
She said: “When I was younger, there was a lack of role models, especially in the absence of social media.
“The advent of social platforms has been a tremendous boon for connecting with my disability community.
“Fostering inclusivity within the community, understanding the diverse experiences within the disability community, and refraining from judgment are key aspects I hope to convey through my journey.
“My aspiration is for people to learn the invaluable lesson that appearances can be deceiving – you can’t accurately gauge someone’s struggles by their exterior.”
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