Who am I? My name is Cynthia and I am a work in progress. Before Dec. 9, 2014 I believed I had come a long way from the timid, sensitive, awkward child of the 60s. Always a dreamer, imagining myself accomplishing all kinds of amazing things. I wrote my first book at age 8. I even illustrated it. It was all about a band of wild horses and how they evaded capture. There were no good humans in it. They all wanted to capture the wild horses. But no one ever read that book except me.

I didn’t have many friends and I wasn’t really good at anything that interested other kids.

By the time I was in my mid fifties with a lot of life experiences to show for it, I felt like I had done well in spite of a slow start. I enjoyed being involved in many great activities. I spent lots of time doing things I loved. I could chase after my two grandchildren and ride my bike for many miles several times a week. I loved writing and directing Christian plays for our church’s Christmas Dinner Theater Community outreach ministry.

My life was fulfilling despite my lifelong struggle with low self esteem and anxiety.

On Dec. 9, 2014 while in recovery after a delicate procedure to correct an aneurysm in my brain, I experienced a major brain bleed and life as I knew it changed forever. The hemorrhagic stroke caused permanent damage to the part of my brain that controls the left side of my body.

My recovery at first was pretty significant. I clung to my faltering faith and begged God for complete healing. That was seven years ago and it has been a very long, roller coaster ride in my reality of disability.

Gary’s ministry is called “Check Your Game.” My greatest desire is to “get back in the game” and encourage other believers who have been benched by unforeseen circumstances.

My Advice

Ask for help. There is no shame in needing help to find resources to equip you for moving forward with disability.