I am the President & CEO of The Stroke Network, http://www.strokenetwork.org/. We are a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. We have existed on the Internet, since February of 1996. Our mission is to provide on-line stroke support and information. We were the first on-line stroke support website on the Internet.
This is one of the last good pictures of me before my stroke. I am definitely not 36 anymore but this picture has significant sentimental meaning to me. This was the end of an era, a time when me and my family enjoyed our simple life and laughed easily. This was when I did not mind getting my picture taken.
Anyway, I was an aerospace engineer for a major corporation, Martin Marietta, until I had a massive brainstem stroke in June of 1994 at age 36. My stroke damaged nine of the 12 cranial nerves, which affected most of the motor skills. I am now effectively quadriplegic and cannot talk. Luckily, none of my cognitive skills are damaged.
My situation has and often can be a nightmare for me. I consider my circumstances healthier than most able-bodied people because I have been forced to leave the corporate battleground. No more do I face the daily stresses and headaches that corporate life can bring.
I have developed a close and loving relationship with God. I tend to focus on God’s plan for me and have started an on-line stroke support community for all of those that cannot attend a local stroke support group. To combat the deep seated feelings that tend to rise I keep myself extremely busy. I believe that God has a plan for me and I am living it with His help. I definitely could not do what I do and have done without Him guiding me every step of the way.
I type by using an infrared headpointer to move the cursor and can click the mouse with my finger. I use an on-screen keyboard to type. Without my cognitive skills, my excellent head control to move the cursor and the ability to click just one finger I could have never created my websites or written 99% of the web pages, including founding our non-profit organization.
I am truly blessed!
Filed under: Personal | Tagged: quadraplegia, quadraplegic, steve mallory, stroke, stroke network, strokenet | 8 Comments »
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