Susan Balling

Very early Saturday morning, September 27, 2014,  I suffered a very large ischemic stroke on the left side of my brain while in McKinney, TX with my husband Bill.  I was fortunate to be close to the Texas Stroke Institute in Plano, TX to which I was airlifted for treatment.  I spent the next 10 days in Neurological ICU and Neurological PCU before coming back to Butte, MT.

During treatment in TX, it was discovered that I have a small hole in the septum of my heart, that never closed after birth.  Directly above the hole is an aneurysm of floppy tissue.  This combination allowed the clot travel to the left side of my brain.  Initially I had little to no movement on my right side.  But fortunately my movement on my right side has returned!  My speech, however, is affected.  I have aphasia.  My thoughts are present, but I'm currently undergoing speech therapy to help me be able to once again express my thoughts verbally.  I'm also undergoing occupational therapy to help me with may everyday living activities.

Our plans of moving and my taking my dream job will have to take place another time.  A time when I'm fully recovered.   Thus, the #1 priority is for me to speak without issue and be 100% fit!   I'm very determined to come back as strong, if not stronger than prior to the stroke.  I've made amazing progress thus far and thanks to your prayers, thoughts and well wishes, I know I'll get there.

Thanks for visiting this page and reading my daily updates that Bill posts!  (Bill wrote this and I put down what I thought Susan would want to say).