From Stroke to Strength: Shalini’s Journey

Stroke survivor Shalini Aggarwal shares her powerful story of sudden stroke, intensive recovery, and rebuilding her life step by step. She talks about the early challenges, the importance of support, and how faith and mindset keep her moving forward. A moving reminder that recovery is ongoing, and resilience is built along the way. 

Guest Social Media info -  https://youtube.com/@booboowithshamuoyeah and https://www.instagram.com/shaliniaggarwal  

Transcript

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shalini-aggarwal 0:00

just ha-having your so- circle the motivation to the motivation to stay strong. The everyone's gonna have their up days, their down days, but it

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but it does not mean

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that, you, you do lose your, you lose hope also.

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Hi, I'm Carrie a stroke BIND. And I'm Brittany. I'm a TBI survivor and member of BIND. Today we're joined by an Shalini Agrawal, who redefining is redefining and look like. Her journey hasn't been easy, but through determination and courage, she continues to push forward and inspire excited the way. excited to her story and the lessons she's learned throughout it all. So tell us about yourself. girls

shalini-aggarwal 1:24

Hi, girls. How are you?

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to you you excited you here

shalini-aggarwal 1:30

it is a

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it is a pleasure

shalini-aggarwal 1:32

just to be on board. So I actually, um ca uh so Jess came ac- Sorry, Jess came across I came across this platform through Jess,

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uh, because was

shalini-aggarwal 1:48

because I was part of Rehab Without Walls in 2024. And actually And I actually had an had an ischemic stroke

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stroke

shalini-aggarwal 2:00

that impacted my middle cerebral artery on the right side, so impacting, um language speech, whole right side, plus, um um, math skills too.

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too But

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definitely come a long

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a way, Yeah

shalini-aggarwal 2:20

like you

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like Well, Um, can you abo- back to the moment, I know we all kinda have that when the brain injury happened. Do you remember when it happened, what was happening?

shalini-aggarwal 2:37

All I know is that

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that

shalini-aggarwal 2:40

my husband... So I was actually back in

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back in Dallas,

shalini-aggarwal 2:43

in Allen,

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Allen, Texas,

shalini-aggarwal 2:45

and my husband was trying to wake me

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to wake me up,

shalini-aggarwal 2:48

that

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that morning around 9:00 AM.

shalini-aggarwal 2:51

I'm an early

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I'm an early bird. I'm normally up by 6:30 AM.

shalini-aggarwal 2:54

So I actually went to the restroom around 5:30 in the morning. Everything was fine. Then my husband tried to wake me up,

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me up,

shalini-aggarwal 3:03

and

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I could not, wake up at

shalini-aggarwal 3:04

all not wake up at all, and then I ended up

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I ended up having a,

shalini-aggarwal 3:09

um... I couldn't, like feel anything on my right side.

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he

shalini-aggarwal 3:13

So he ended up calling my my dad and my siblings, who are all

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who are all doc

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and sorry, who are all doctors, and they said Go

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said Go and call 911,

shalini-aggarwal 3:26

and then we

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then we

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the next

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the next flight

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come come there." 'Cause they were in,

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they were in, like, all parts

shalini-aggarwal 3:32

of USA.

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Okay.

shalini-aggarwal 3:34

So he called

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called 911,

shalini-aggarwal 3:38

and then then he called his mom, Um who works close by

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by.

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And I could not have I did not have any feeling on my whole right ha-

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ha

shalini-aggarwal 3:51

right side, so having to Medical taken to Medical City Plano. Um, I know, I

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know, I remember

shalini-aggarwal 4:00

the, uh, am- ambulance, which was a scary feeling cause it was not something we would all

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all imagine. right? not

shalini-aggarwal 4:12

S- yeah. So I

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So I remember being escorted to Medical City

shalini-aggarwal 4:17

Plano where I

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where was

shalini-aggarwal 4:19

for about two and a half weeks. So I was on a

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I was on a feeding tube,

shalini-aggarwal 4:23

my

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learning how to move my

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toes, my, my feet, and then having

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having to be fed,

shalini-aggarwal 4:32

along with bathing um in a,

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a, um,

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special shower-

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Mm-hmm

shalini-aggarwal 4:39

area So that's what I

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what I remember. mean Yeah, okay. I So everyone kind of... Like, everything. I had a hemorrhagic knew I I yeah, knew waiting I was for my dad to come inside, 'cause he was in the back mowing. And I And to Medical City Plano too, and they, for... Because I'm not far from Plano, and you're not far from Plano, that is the stroke hospital to go to. Mm. That is the number one stroke

shalini-aggarwal 5:09

Wow

bindwaves-host 5:11

Wow ...that we yeah, got to go there. but yeah, I remember everything up until about getting in the ambulance, and then I think they gave me something, cause that's when things got fuzzy I remember bits and pieces after that but yeah Yeah. Yeah

shalini-aggarwal 5:28

I was

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so- was then

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to Baylor to Baylor Scott White for one

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for one month,

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and I remember... I actually

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I remember my doctors. Oh that's

shalini-aggarwal 5:41

My therapist as well. I still, I actually still keep in touch with them.

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with them. That's good Were you at Baylor Scott White, um, downtown Dallas Frisco Or do you remember which

shalini-aggarwal 5:51

Actually, Baylor Scott White in downtown Dallas.

bindwaves-host 5:54

Okay so big Baylor

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big Baylor

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Baylor. And

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siblings sorry my cousins they actually came to visit me and help me out as well.

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then one a few best

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And then one, a few of my

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of my friends PTs and are PTs and

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they actually drove in from Houston

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started time and actually started doing therapy and occupational

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on me on the

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on the side. Mm. what were your some of Yes. what faced of of your biggest challenges you

shalini-aggarwal 6:29

faced

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in the early days of recovery, both physically and emotionally?

shalini-aggarwal 6:35

I would say being

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being able to,

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just understand where I

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where I am.

shalini-aggarwal 6:42

Like what

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what happened?

shalini-aggarwal 6:44

and why did it happen to someone like us? So being able to to know, like, how do we comprehend this

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this,

shalini-aggarwal 6:56

Understanding, like okay um all the medications that we would have to take

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to take. I was

shalini-aggarwal 7:03

actually was actually pretty bad with my medica-

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my medica-

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medications before the stroke

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the

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and then now I've been so on top of

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on top of it

shalini-aggarwal 7:15

But being able to unders- to understand, um like having to move my toes, having to like retrain the brain, I had no idea what to expect. I had a whole family of doctors coming from all over to help with soothing, being caring understanding the the types of, uh, treatments also. My husband was there, his family was there, so they were all like... like "Okay, let's make sure she's okay." But honestly, inside, I had no idea what to ex-

bindwaves-host 7:52

that's Yeah. normal Um, so how long ago was your stroke? So

shalini-aggarwal 8:01

stroke happened on July 12th, 2023

bindwaves-host 8:07

Okay

shalini-aggarwal 8:07

And this year will be This July will be

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will be three years. Okay. So that's... in really well think three in.

shalini-aggarwal 8:16

Thank you

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um do you remember, um was there a turning point in your recovery like, you felt that shift, um in your mindset or your progress where you kind knew things were gonna be okay and

shalini-aggarwal 8:34

I felt, um so from being... I would say from being in the wheelchair, I didn't know what to

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what to expect.

shalini-aggarwal 8:42

So I felt my

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my turning point,

shalini-aggarwal 8:45

Honestly, I felt my turning point happen, I would

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I would say, um in

shalini-aggarwal 8:52

Plano. So I'm sorry, in Baylor Scott White, and then when I was being transferred here here to Houston for different programs. But having a chance to... I feel my turning point was, I think through every

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think, through

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program, along

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along with, um

shalini-aggarwal 9:14

being able to, um, work with the other brain injury survivors. I think it's more like making friends along the way to understand, like, what everyone's going through.

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even though my my

shalini-aggarwal 9:27

Because even though my

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though my my parents, my siblings,

shalini-aggarwal 9:31

my husband, who's in IT, they they don't

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don't understand going unless

shalini-aggarwal 9:38

what's going on, unless like someone else is going through

bindwaves-host 9:41

going through it. No, I mean, that's... We say that Yeah all time, no one gets brain like another brain injury. So and

shalini-aggarwal 9:48

that's

bindwaves-host 9:49

Mm-hmm that you're a Rehab Without Walls so you get that same kind of connection that we get here the with other survivors So you're in, you're in Houston now

shalini-aggarwal 10:01

Uh yes I have been here, but I've been b

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b uh so I'm...

shalini-aggarwal 10:05

Yes,

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Yes,

shalini-aggarwal 10:05

back here in Houston since September 2023.

bindwaves-host 10:08

2023. Okay. All right. um, So, your stroke changed your now or how you see yourself as

shalini-aggarwal 10:18

I see it as

bindwaves-host 10:19

it

shalini-aggarwal 10:20

as a way of like um you know, being able... We don't let it, I don't let it define me. I see it as an achievement where I can help other, um, other s other

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other

shalini-aggarwal 10:34

or even other brain injury survivors, or where we help each other out too.

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too.

shalini-aggarwal 10:42

Along with, um, you know even though I

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though I have

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limitations, I

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I don't, I'm

shalini-aggarwal 10:49

still, like

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like

shalini-aggarwal 10:52

continue going further.

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I love hearing So unfortunately, like we say like So the stroke. did you do before the stroke? stroke um

shalini-aggarwal 11:07

the stroke, my

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God I

shalini-aggarwal 11:09

was my God, I was a

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was actually in

shalini-aggarwal 11:13

Bollywood classes. I used to do Bollywood dancing. I would actually, um, travel the world. So from going to Antarctica, to Punta Cana, to Cayman Islands, to Canada. Um I also hosted, um So my, one of my best friend from, sorry, one of my best friends from high school, he's actually a pastry chef, so I would host his, uh network, uh, his gala

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gala nights

shalini-aggarwal 11:47

and his

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for years, and his,

shalini-aggarwal 11:50

pastry activities, and we would we would actually,

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activities

shalini-aggarwal 11:55

Sorry

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activities. and

shalini-aggarwal 11:59

also, um,

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um,

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I uh sorry, also, also

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Sorry.

shalini-aggarwal 12:06

Indian doctors events,

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events

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so called AAPI, where we, meet

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other

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we

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in

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other doctors in medical field

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field

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along with their,

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along stuff

shalini-aggarwal 12:20

along with their staff. So I actually... so I

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I do many thi- so

shalini-aggarwal 12:25

we would say,

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would say, like I'm the jack of all trades. Okay

shalini-aggarwal 12:28

So I would... I have my own business where I do

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do skin care

shalini-aggarwal 12:33

and cosmetics on side. So I would actually promote it

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it back in high school. Mm-hmm And I

shalini-aggarwal 12:39

that business along doing Noatary

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It

shalini-aggarwal 12:43

and then a medical practice here in Houston. But and I do staffing where I have my own medical staffing company.

bindwaves-host 12:53

Oh wow That's cool. You're busy.

shalini-aggarwal 12:56

So being

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being

shalini-aggarwal 12:57

to to still uh still attend weddings also. We had so many family weddings, and then I was actually, um one of the spokesperson along with, uh uh, being a... along with being a performer, al- along with um hosting uh, dance shows too.

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Okay

shalini-aggarwal 13:21

And plus, so- I'm sorry, plus uh

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No you're good

shalini-aggarwal 13:26

plus we have our

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our uh, it's called Agrawal Association of

shalini-aggarwal 13:32

Agrawal Association of America where where I would host, um, um, camp walking,

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walk-ins

shalini-aggarwal 13:41

event walk-ins or event, um, events at the different schools or

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or even, um,

shalini-aggarwal 13:50

Rock Gym or, um, um we would go to Camp Cho-E also.

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camp. Um yes.

shalini-aggarwal 14:00

Plus, um, I would, um... Oh my God, what was another thing? Actually um had a chance to... Oh my God. Oh yeah, there's a pl- there's an event called Hindu Viva, where I would host a lot of networking events for other I- Indians or even, like, Americans, uh like just any religion, to meet other like-minded people and where they get to know each other,

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and just chance

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and just get a

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get a

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to go on a

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on a date.

shalini-aggarwal 14:36

So I

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I did that for over 17 years. Oh,

shalini-aggarwal 14:40

technique And I

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I learned that technique my dad,

shalini-aggarwal 14:44

where I would

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would even go

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and meet other

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other guys

shalini-aggarwal 14:48

in different parts of the US and go on

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go on dates with them until I met my husband. Fun. Um, so with your recovery, I know your recovery journey is still going on 'cause we're always recovering every single day. Mm-hmm. But how was your recovery?

shalini-aggarwal 15:07

Recovery has been

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been

shalini-aggarwal 15:09

It's been a

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been a challenge

shalini-aggarwal 15:10

from

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from being in the wheelchair-

shalini-aggarwal 15:13

for over a year and a

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and a half.

shalini-aggarwal 15:16

Um and then relearning, um I was in a challenge program at TIRR Memorial Hermann back in September 2023. Had a team full of doctors.

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get

shalini-aggarwal 15:28

um to get, um laser done in my in my right eye, along with, um having... I was p- I was, yeah, I'm sorry. I was part of re- um the outpatient program then at TIRR Memorial Hermann along with, um like my parents put a shower... They actually, they completely changed all of upstairs. So we actually... So I've been living with my parents here near the medical center, and they've been living at the same house for over, like I would say like 20 years. And before that it was West University, and then before that it was Baytown. So I'm... And they have an elevator for my grandparent and my grandma before she passed away in 2010. So I've been able to use that. Every

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Every

shalini-aggarwal 16:23

then I carry my own

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own, things

shalini-aggarwal 16:25

upstairs carry my own things upstairs, and

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and then being able to shower on my own with grab bars.

shalini-aggarwal 16:34

So,

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being in the

shalini-aggarwal 16:36

so from being in the outpatient programs at TIRR Kirby Glenn, and then, um so meeting new uh, patients.

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I actually still touch

shalini-aggarwal 16:49

and I actually still keep in touch

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in

shalini-aggarwal 16:50

them. We actually have dinners together, um being able to go out, and then FaceTime as well. I still keep in touch with a lot of my other best friends from from middle school, high school, college. And, um so and then on the side I actually had a private PT, OT who came to the house on weekends, Um I would say from Sept- O October onwards, October 2023 until uh December of last year. Um and she would come weekends or on weekdays. And then I even had a private lady who would come and learn how to do massages on me, and my parents would take me to Oasis, um in Chinatown for deep tissue massage.

bindwaves-host 17:50

Nice.

shalini-aggarwal 17:52

So being able to just feel stuff on my

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on my right side. That's good. I'm gonna take a quick little break and just remind our listeners to ahead and click that like button, that subscribe button, that notify button. Any little button that says thumbs ahead and click it and keep on listening Um I talked a lot about friends and medical professionals so it sounds like you have had a really support system throughout your recovery as well

shalini-aggarwal 18:24

Yes.

bindwaves-host 18:25

is like role do you role played for you in your s- in your recovery?

shalini-aggarwal 18:32

I would

bindwaves-host 18:32

I would say-

shalini-aggarwal 18:34

you know, just being

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being able

shalini-aggarwal 18:37

uh, come and, uh just be

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be my support sys-

shalini-aggarwal 18:42

like calling me, talking on the phone, or just, you know just calling to see how you're doing. or even my parents helping to take me to to my doctor's appointments when I don't understand half the stuff. along with, uh, other,

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um

shalini-aggarwal 19:03

family members from from my mom's side, my dad's

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dad's side,

shalini-aggarwal 19:09

side husband's side. So now, Like he would always make sure that I'm taken care of financially, and then he... Any time I have other special appointment, then he would

bindwaves-host 19:23

he would come,

shalini-aggarwal 19:23

would come from Aubrey

bindwaves-host 19:26

Aubrey, Texas. Okay Hmm So um, you stay motivated on the hard days when progress feels slow or frustrating

shalini-aggarwal 19:37

Oh, man. During those- hard

bindwaves-host 19:39

days,

shalini-aggarwal 19:40

I say I look back at

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at my old pro- videos

shalini-aggarwal 19:45

hospital I was in the hospital or

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or even

shalini-aggarwal 19:49

from different programs that I was part of, and I see that, okay, where

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where I was from that time

shalini-aggarwal 19:56

to now, how what is What is doing... what, what

bindwaves-host 20:01

what has done s-

shalini-aggarwal 20:03

what has

bindwaves-host 20:03

what has done something different for me? I'm I'm

shalini-aggarwal 20:06

So and then I'm I'm actually a reader. So I've been reading motivational books- for almost, like thirteen to fourteen years. So just, like, reading a good motivational book, reading a few pages a day, listening to a, um TED Talk also and then even just going

bindwaves-host 20:26

going

shalini-aggarwal 20:26

a walk.

bindwaves-host 20:27

That's good. so about it now, I mean, like we, like Brittany mentioned a minute ago, you're still fairly new, and I know it, to say, you tips um, or for our you would have liked to have recovery that helpful maybe would've been I say

shalini-aggarwal 20:52

I would say make

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make sure you have a

shalini-aggarwal 20:56

great

bindwaves-host 20:56

great support system

shalini-aggarwal 20:58

who will be there

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there for you,

shalini-aggarwal 21:01

because not

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not everybody

shalini-aggarwal 21:03

has a

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a group

shalini-aggarwal 21:05

of friends, family, support circle who can always be

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be there, cause everyone's going through their own challenges,

shalini-aggarwal 21:13

and you never know who's there

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there for you.

shalini-aggarwal 21:16

And then being able to have somebody by

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by your side,

shalini-aggarwal 21:21

and then even having a... just having guidance where, um even though

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though you're not able to

shalini-aggarwal 21:30

sometimes, but to have, having somebody else, care of those help take care of those things for you.

bindwaves-host 21:36

you.

shalini-aggarwal 21:37

so

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that we didn't ask share Um

shalini-aggarwal 21:46

I know, actually, I know...

bindwaves-host 21:48

I Actually, I

shalini-aggarwal 21:49

I do wanna say that you leave

bindwaves-host 21:52

leave everything

shalini-aggarwal 21:53

God, have faith, and then being able to, ha having

bindwaves-host 21:59

your

shalini-aggarwal 21:59

just ha-having your so- circle the motivation to the motivation to stay strong. The everyone's gonna have their up days, their down days, but it

bindwaves-host 22:10

but it does not mean

shalini-aggarwal 22:12

that, you, you do lose your, you lose hope also.

bindwaves-host 22:15

love love that Yeah. Yeah That's, I mean, definitely, lifelong, so. Mm-hmm We're lucky enough to be alive to have to keep recovering Mm-hmm is what I say

shalini-aggarwal 22:27

Yes.

bindwaves-host 22:28

Yeah. long journey. Yeah. Um, so thank you, Shalini, for sharing your stroke and are the road to reliving your life, so that's good. So thank you so much for coming on to our podcast Of Of Of

shalini-aggarwal 22:45

Of course.

bindwaves-host 22:46

so much Of Of Of we wanna thank our listeners for listening you can find all our new episodes on your favorite platforms wherever that may be as as YouTube if you wanna watch us So thank you again for listening Until next time. Until next time

Rick 23:03

We hope you've enjoyed listening to bindwaves and continue to support Brain Injury Network and our nonprofit mission. We support brain injury survivors as they reconnect into life, the community, and the workplace, and we couldn't do that without great listeners like you. We appreciate each and every one of you. Please remember to click the like button, the share button, and the subscribe button on YouTube, and follow us on Instagram @bindwaves and Brain Injury Network on Facebook. You can email us at bindwaves@thebind.org, or go to our website, bindwaves.org, or call us at 972-769-2463. Please continue watching. Until next time.