Come on in....

On November 22nd, 2021 on my 41st birthday I was infected with covid (the delta variant to be exact).  I was eventually  intubated and placed in a medically induced coma for five weeks.  During this time I suffered three strokes and my family was told that I had a fifty/fifty chance of survival.  On January 8, 2022 I survived to tell my story.  I had a long recovery ahead of me.  Its been over a year now and I'm still not where I want to be.  I haven't been able to return to work as an Oral Surgery nurse so finances have been a huge source of anxiety.  However, the extra downtime has forced me to not only recover physically but also emotionally and spiritually.  This glimpse into death has enabled me to see life through a different lens.  Its forced me to heal from past traumas and re-invent a better version of myself.  A version that would make me proud.  I realized that I was  depressed, anxious and restless.  I had to find a way to keep myself busy but I had no hobbies or special talents but I was great at connecting with people.  This is what lead to the creation of  "Rialisms".  Not only was this blog keeping me occupied but it became an outlet for healing and a way to stimulate my brain function after the three strokes.  I wanted this to be authentic, thought provoking, relatable and most of all inspiring.  So far it has been a labour of love because I have never considered myself a writer and technology is not a personal talent.  I am so thrilled to share these pieces of me with you all.