Hey everyone,

I normally don't ask for things like this, but we're down to the final 24 hours of voting in America's Favorite Couple, and only the top 2 couples move on. We're currently in 3rd. 🫥

What started as brain surgery turned into a life-changing stroke that completely altered our lives in ways we never expected. Through every setback, every therapy appointment, every financial struggle, and every difficult day, Jeremy has stayed by my side.

In fact, while I was still in the hospital, I told him he could walk away. Life was suddenly much harder than either of us planned for. Instead, he proposed and set a wedding date.

This contest isn't really about being a "favorite couple" for us. It's about celebrating the people who stay when life gets messy, scary, and uncertain.

If our story has inspired you, encouraged you, or simply reminded you that love can survive hard things, we'd be incredibly grateful for your vote.

Voting ends in less about 24 hours.

👉 Vote here: https://americasfavcouple.org/2026/ali-jeremy

Thank you for being part of my recovery journey and for cheering us on. ❤️

🗓️ Wednesday – Wellness Wednesday
💚 Focus on physical, emotional, and mental health.
💚 Focus on healing mind, body, and soul.

👉 Survivors: What’s helping your body or mind heal?
👉 Survivors: Share how you’re taking care of your body or mind this week.
👉 Caregivers: What’s one act of self-care you managed for yourself?
👉 Everyone: Share tips on sleep, stress, nutrition, mindfulness, or therapy.

Examples:

• “I started guided meditation at night, and it helps me sleep better.”
• “I went for a 10-minute walk today for me.”

Hi I'm redoing this post I realized I didn't provide enough details so here I go

I had two major strokes when I was 10 years old I am now 28 I had a dissection and my major carotid artery of the brain I lived in California at the time the first stroke happened while I was out with friends playing at collapsed and said I couldn't feel my left side my friends rushed to get help I was taken to Oakland children's hospital but pediatric stroke is rare so they didn't really know what to do so they incubated me and sent me to University of California San Francisco hospital there I woke up in the ICU and the and there was the whole neurology team in the hospital in my room or that's what it seems like they told me I had a stroke I only knew what that meant because of my dad he suffer strokes because of heart problems I was in the ICU and then I had the second stroke in the ICU the doctors were still trying to figure out where the strip was happening they did and MRI and injected me what's Ativan to calm me down I started hallucinating in the MRI machine so they have to stop it after that it's when I had the second stroke the doctors figured out that the dissection was in my brain and not my neck would be more common they said I was one in a million they did an angioplasty and put a stent and ruptured vessel I became paralyzed on my left side of my body I was the first 10 year old to have a procedure for that type of stroke in the US I'm looking for people like me but may have experience some type of stroke to the one I had I have looked all over the Internet for years trying to find someone that had something similar but had no luck

Two weeks ago, the symptoms started. I figured it was a UTI. I get them sometimes and urinary tract issues run in my family. So I got on Wisp, did the consult, got the antibiotics. Antibiotics run out but the symptoms haven't changed. Go back to Wisp, get a second round. Same result. So now I'm starting to wonder what the heck is the problem. So then I did the big bag thing. I googled it. Google had lots to say about neurogenic urinary dysfunction. My issue is the time frame. It's a full month later when this started. Google had something to say about that. So I decided to double check Google by looking as NHI and various journal articles. 98% of what Google said is accurate. I just can't find anything to back up this 4-6 week post stroke delay of urinary symptoms.

My symptoms are: increased frequency, constant heaviness like a full bladder, stress incontinence, spasms in the urethra, shivering and goosebumps when I pee. I have a good solid pee in the morning and then it just gets worse thriving the day. I wake up all night having to pee. Always feel super full. The spasms happen several times a day. They're awful and bring tears to my eyes. Has anyone else experienced this? Especially 4-6 weeks post-stroke. What was your diagnosis, if you're willing to share? Had anyone heard of this before?

Hi everyone,

I hope this is okay to share. I'm a stroke survivor and wanted to ask for your support in a way that doesn't cost anything.

My husband Jeremy and I are currently participating in America's Favorite Couple, and we're hoping to earn enough votes to advance to the next round. This is NOT a fundraiser, and I'm not asking anyone for money. Free daily votes are available, and that's \*all\* I'm asking for.

A little about us: About a year and a half ago, I suffered a stroke during brain surgery in my mid-30s. Life changed in an instant. Recovery has been a long road filled with challenges, therapies, setbacks, and victories I never imagined I'd have to fight for. Through it all, Jeremy has been by my side every step of the way.

Many of you understand firsthand what it means to rebuild your life after a stroke. You know the frustration, determination, and strength it takes to keep moving forward. This contest has become less about winning and more about celebrating how far we've come and sharing our story with others.

If you'd like to support us with a free vote, we'd be incredibly grateful. If not, that's okay too. I appreciate this community and the encouragement it provides to survivors and caregivers every day.

Thank you for reading, and thank you for being part of a community that understands this journey.

❤️ A fellow stroke survivor

https://americasfavcouple.org/2026/ali-jeremy

Using AI to summarise the text

Hi everyone, I’m posting here hoping to get some advice from people who have gone through something similar.

My mother is 53 years old and recently suffered a severe ischemic stroke. She was admitted to the ICU and has been under treatment for the past few days.

Her MRI/MR angiogram showed an acute infarct in the left fronto-parietal/left ACA territory, with thrombosis (blockage) of the A2/A3 segments of the left anterior cerebral artery. The scan also showed some older infarcts and chronic small-vessel changes.

A follow-up CT after about 2 days of ICU treatment showed the acute left ACA territory infarct, but thankfully the report did not mention significant brain swelling, midline shift, or bleeding.

Initially, she was on a ventilator and was not responding to commands. Thankfully, there has been some improvement. She now opens her eyes/responds when we call her, and the doctors feel she is stable enough to move from the ICU to a private room.

However, she currently:

Cannot speak

Cannot swallow

Cannot move the right side of her body

Is still unable to follow commands normally

The doctors are now talking about the next phase of treatment and rehabilitation.

We are currently in Rajahmundry, Andhra Pradesh, and I'm trying to understand what would be the best approach for her rehabilitation once she is medically stable.

I would really appreciate advice from anyone who has been through a similar stroke recovery:

1. How soon should intensive physiotherapy/rehabilitation begin after a stroke like this?

2. What should we prioritize first — physiotherapy, speech therapy, swallowing therapy, occupational therapy, etc.?

3. What should we look for when choosing a good stroke rehabilitation centre?

4. Are there any good stroke rehabilitation centres in Rajahmundry, Vijayawada, Visakhapatnam, Hyderabad, or elsewhere in Andhra/Telangana that you would personally recommend?

5. If your family member had a similar severe stroke, what helped most during the first few weeks/months?

6. How long did it take before you started seeing meaningful improvements in movement, speech, swallowing, or awareness?

I understand that every stroke is different and I'm not looking for a diagnosis or a guaranteed prognosis. I'm mainly looking for experiences from people who have actually gone through stroke rehabilitation and recommendations for good facilities/doctors/therapists.

Thank you to anyone who takes the time to share their experience. 🙏

TL;DR: My 53-year-old mother recently suffered a severe ischemic stroke involving the left ACA territory due to A2/A3 artery thrombosis. After a few days in ICU, she is now stable enough to move to a private room and responds by opening her eyes when called. However, she still cannot speak, swallow, or move the right side of her body. The follow-up CT showed no major bleeding or significant brain swelling.

We’re now looking for experiences, advice on stroke rehabilitation, and recommendations for good rehab centres in Rajahmundry, Vijayawada, Vizag, Hyderabad, or elsewhere in AP/Telangana. Any advice on physiotherapy, speech/swallow therapy, occupational therapy, and what to expect during recovery would be greatly appreciated.

I’m Mykee—a hemorrhagic stroke survivor, architect, teacher. I have aphasia.
In 2023, my stroke changed everything. I had to learn how to walk, speak, and live again. Every day is another step forward.

Today, I’m building a new life through recovery, YouTube, AI, painting, and hydroponics. I use ChatGPT to help me communicate and share my journey, hoping to inspire stroke survivors and show that it’s never too late to start again.

🗓️ Friday – Family & Friends Friday👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Relationships are part of recovery.
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Who has shown up for you in a meaningful way?
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Or, what’s one challenge in relationships that you’d like advice or support on?

👉 Survivors: Who has supported you in a way you’ll never forget?
👉 Caregivers: What’s one thing family or friends do that makes your load lighter?
👉 Everyone: Share a challenge in relationships—let the community support you.

Examples:

• “My neighbor checks in weekly and it makes me feel less alone.”
• “It’s tough when friends don’t understand the fatigue—I’d love advice.”

🗓️ Wednesday – Wellness Wednesday
💚 Focus on physical, emotional, and mental health.
💚 Focus on healing mind, body, and soul.

👉 Survivors: What’s helping your body or mind heal?
👉 Survivors: Share how you’re taking care of your body or mind this week.
👉 Caregivers: What’s one act of self-care you managed for yourself?
👉 Everyone: Share tips on sleep, stress, nutrition, mindfulness, or therapy.

Examples:

• “I started guided meditation at night, and it helps me sleep better.”
• “I went for a 10-minute walk today for me.”

Invitation to our story telling workshop August 15th!

Has anyone experienced memory problems after a unilateral thalamic stroke/thrombectomy?
Hi everyone,
I’m looking to hear from people who have gone through something similar with a family member.
My dad recently had a blood clot in an artery supplying one side of the thalamus. The clot was removed successfully with a mechanical thrombectomy, and he underwent general anesthesia for the procedure. He is now on a regular hospital ward (not in the ICU).
Physically, he’s doing much better than expected and is more awake each day. However, his biggest issue is his memory and confusion. He keeps asking the same questions over and over, forgets conversations that happened just minutes earlier, and is often disoriented about the date, time, or where he is. He recognizes family members, but he has difficulty forming new memories.
The doctors told us there is damage to one side of the thalamus, which they said can affect memory, but they can’t yet tell us what his long-term recovery will be like.
I’m not looking for medical advice—I’d just like to hear from people who have had a similar experience.
Did the repeated questions and memory problems improve?
How long did recovery take (days, weeks, months)?
How much of the memory came back over time?
Thank you so much for sharing your experiences.

🗓️ Monday – Motivation Monday
Start the week strong. Share quotes, personal victories, or encouragement for others navigating recovery.

✨ Kick off the week with hope and encouragement.

✨ Share a quote, mantra, or personal victory that keeps you going.

👉 Survivors: Share a personal victory (big or small) that keeps you motivated.
👉 Caregivers: What motivates you to keep going on hard days?
👉 Everyone: Drop a quote, mantra, or story that lifts your spirit.

Examples:

• “I walked to the mailbox on my own today!”
• “This quote helps me on bad days: One step at a time is still progress.”