Hello everyone,

Eleven weeks after my brain hemorrhage and more than a month after returning home from the hospital, I’m happy to post what I think will be the last installment on this Caring Bridge site.  (Indeed, in the interest of vanity, I may ask Matt to take it down before long.) 

Thank you to everyone who has shown interest in my condition, given social support to Matt or my family members or me, sent us food or flowers or care packages, visited, called, emailed, worried, prayed or uttered incantations, or changed your plans out of consideration to me or us.  I have been flabbergasted and touched by the kindness and generosity of so many.  Some people told me that this represents “paying it forward” after similar thoughtfulness was shown to them in the past, and I am certainly determined to do so in the future.  I hope none of you ever needs food or visits, but if you do, you can expect to hear from me. 

I also want to express my huge appreciation to Matt, my parents, Amelia, Julian, Ellie, my sister Julie, and my close friends, who kept me alive when it wasn’t clear that was going to happen and who have continued to participate in my recovery.  Thanks also to Jennifer Parker, John Sweet, Emily Burrill, Lauren Jarvis, and Ben Waterhouse for making things at UNC as easy as possible. 

And your efforts seem to have worked.  Whether from good luck or, as I prefer to think, the goodwill of many, I’ve largely recovered.  I can walk, talk, see, hear, and think.  I don’t remember much of the time that I was in the hospital, but my mom tells me that is just as well.  Shortly after I left the hospital I was released from speech and memory therapy, and today I graduated from physical therapy.  I’ll be back at UNC this fall, though not as department chair and not in the spring because I had a research leave coming anyway.

Though I don’t wish a brain hemorrhage on anyone, one silver lining has been that I have been in contact with many of my friends and relatives.  Thank you for that, and I hope we can continue by phone, text, email, or in person.  Hopefully you know how to find me outside of Caring Bridge.  With gratitude and lots of affection,

Lisa