-
Annotated by:
- Coulehan, Jack
- Date of entry: Apr-16-1998
Summary
At the age of 21, shortly after moving to Ithaca, New York, to begin a new life with her fiance, the author experienced a stroke that left her aphasic and partially paralyzed. She returned home to Altoona, Pennsylvania, where she underwent months of physical therapy and rehabilitation.
This memoir takes us through the process of self-discovery by which Barbara Newborn learned first to understand and cope with her disabilities and then to overcome them. It recounts her depression and determination, her disappointment and exhilaration. Return to Ithaca ends about nine months after the stroke when the author had indeed returned to Ithaca to begin (once again) a new life.
Publisher
Element
Place Published
Rockport, Mass.
Edition
1997
Page Count
115
Commentary
This is a concise, clearly written story of one young woman's "triumph over the disabilities of a severe stroke." The author is currently the Chief of Staff of the National Stroke and Quality of Life Medical Education Institute at Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center in New York.
The book is "user friendly," including a brief Appendix that gives relevant facts about the occurrence, clinical features, and economic costs of stroke. There is also a reading list and a list of resources available for stroke patients and their families.