This Is NOT A Test

The Universe has a wonderful sense of humor!

Just as I was wrapping up my series of Mindful Moments on the topic of Living the Power of Mortality™, I was given the opportunity to put my beliefs to the ultimate test!
Last Tuesday, October 10th, I suffered a stroke. It was 08:30 in the morning and I was alone in my home office when it hit.

It was like any other morning. I had breakfast with my family and saw them off as they left for daycare, school and work. After I finished my espresso I sat down to start up my computer, but all I could do was sit and stare at the login screen. It was as though I had never seen the screen before in my life. I had no idea what to do. But at the same time, a voice in my head said ‘You do this every day! Come on!’ Then my right arm went numb and I had trouble with the vision in my right eye. At that moment I realized that I was having a stroke. (If YOU don’t know the warning signs of a stroke, do yourself a favor and learn them.)

Thankfully, I didn’t panic. Remembering something I had once heard, I went to the bathroom and took three aspirin to help reduce the impact of the stroke. I looked at myself in the mirror and made all sorts of funny faces to ensure that both sides of my face were still working. Seeing no signs of paralysis, I tried to talk out loud. Let me tell you - unless you’ve been through this, you can’t imagine how scary it is to discover that some part of your brain is on strike and you can’t even string together a simple sentence!

As I write this, it’s now Monday afternoon (October 16th) and I’ve been in the hospital since Tuesday. Thankfully, I have no paralysis or lingering effects from the stroke. I’ve felt perfectly normal since Tuesday afternoon. The doctors say I had a TIA (transient ischemic attack). I’m still in the hospital so they can monitor my response to the anticoagulation drug that I’m now going to be taking. (In case you are wondering.. typing with an IV drip in your hand is not an experience that I’d recommend trying.) I’ve been told that I should be discharged later today or tomorrow.
I was talking with a friend yesterday who asked me how my teachings held up to real life testing. She thought that perhaps my enthusiasm for embracing mortality might have changed because of the stroke.

I’ve now had seven days to reflect on the events of last Tuesday. Seven days to think about my situation. I’m pleased to report that the Power of Mortality™ works - even in the face of a stroke! Yes, I was scared when my brain wasn’t responding properly, but I wasn’t afraid!

Perhaps most significantly though, over the course of the last seven days of reflection, I have not uncovered a single thing about my life that I feel needs to change. How many people can say that when faced with their death?

What about YOU?

Will you be able to say that when you are finally faced with your death?

Would you like to be able to?

Start with the Mortality Manifesto.

ENJOY NOW!