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Heart.org: Stroke survivor went from using a wheelchair to walking again, and started a nonprofit

Eight years ago, Deb Shaw stepped into the shower of her home in Los Gatos, California, and her vision blurred. She wobbled, fell and hit her head on the shower bench. Minutes later, she woke up on the floor.

Her head throbbed. Deb’s husband, Bob Shaw, was out of town for work. Her 90-year-old father-in-law, Dale Shaw, was visiting. Deb couldn’t move her right hand, and her right leg wasn’t working either. With her left hand, she pulled herself up the shower wall. She shut off the water and reached for her robe.

“Dale, help!” Deb called out.

When Dale arrived, Deb was able to wiggle her right hand and leg. Dale called 911. In the emergency room, images of her brain showed Deb had a concussion. Slowly, she regained feeling and movement on the right side of her body.

Deb went home to rest and recover. Three days later, Deb woke up on a Monday morning and couldn’t move. But she didn’t panic.

Read the rest of the article on The American Heart Association’s website.