John and I make our home in Owasso, OK with our dog Bandit. We're still learning how to live together without communicating. Isn't that what a lot of married couples do? Add in the loss of speech and elevate the emotional responses and you get the picture. It's nearly impossible, but not entirely.

When your whole world changes overnight, what do you do the next day? John suffered a massive stroke then came home eight weeks later in a wheelchair unable to walk or talk. I became his caregiver and gave up my role as wife, then accountant, then sane person.

A Stroke and a Thorn is the book I wrote to save my life. It could be described as a pity party by some, and at times I feel shame for many of the things I've done along the journey. The true message is how God stepped into my life and gave me peace. I lost the woman I thought I was and found what really matters.