Meet Marilyn
Marilyn is a member of the American Stroke Foundation (ASF). Marilyn values all the programming at ASF, but states the people and friendships she’s made here take the top spot. One activity that she really enjoys is the speech therapy programming offered. Marilyn is able to work on fluency and word-finding in a positive space with people she enjoys getting to know. Lastly, Marilyn has joined the many in singing the praises of aquatics. The water has allowed her to make fast improvement with her balance while boosting her confidence in her gait.
When Marilyn is outside of ASF, her great love is gardening. Her face lights up when she mentions her gardening favorites – roses, hostas, clematis – just to name a few. A longtime member of the local garden clubs, Marilyn takes her gardening seriously. She states, “I’m one who likes to get my hands dirty and get down on the ground.” She’s learned all she knows about flowers through these groups and is happy to share her knowledge. Marilyn enjoys traveling and lists Poland as one of her most treasured trips due to its wonderful, resilient population. Though a self-proclaimed World War II history buff, Marilyn hasn’t let that dictate her travels, visiting France, Peru, Hong Kong, Ireland, and many other sites.
Marilyn’s support system is affectionately titled “Team Marilyn”. It consists of her sister, brother, and mother, all of whom came to the area from different states immediately following Marilyn’s stroke. “I couldn’t do it without them,” she says. The active family is always game to provide love, support, and the weekly “veggie night”, which is exactly as it sounds – a veggie cocktail hour with family. While her stroke altered her life, Marilyn doesn’t really view the world much differently. She mentions her easy-going attitude has not faltered in this time. “I’ve always gone with the flow. I’m not one of those people who thinks: why me? Now, I think why not me? I’m sure this is for a reason, and a good one.”