April 27, 2015 — A day that started out like any other, would end being one of the most defining moments in my life.

I was working out, jumping rope at the gym, and then it hit me, like a locomotive... A splitting headache gave way to disorientation and ultimately complete disassociation between my mind and body. Little did I know, I was having a hemorrhagic stroke. A blood vessel in my brain had ruptured and was leaking blood into the 'hard drive' of my body.

Two weeks later, I discovered what happened to me, a result of chronic hypertension (high blood pressure), and not knowing I had it. As many of my fellow stroke survivors know, I began the long journey of learning how to walk, talk, and live again.

As tragic as this was for me, and my whole family, friends included, humor has been essential to my recovery. As a stroke survivor, and OCD as I am, I was constantly frustrated when I saw one word in in my head, but a random combination of multiple words came out of my mouth. I realized that I needed to change, or I would counteract my efforts of my recovery.

One day, early into my speech therapy, I had an epiphany. I realized that even though I wasn't saying exactly what I wanted to say, my family and friends still understood me. It was at the exact moment that my whole attitude changed. I stopped being frustrated about my inabilities, and focused on my new found 'super-power'. I had the ability to develop my own, humorous language, and so it was, that Stroktionary was born!