Jill Bolte Taylor's Stroke of Insight

Most people don't even know what a stroke is.

In case you're not sure, I'll tell you. When the blood supply is cut off to a part of the brain, which can happen if a blood vessel bursts, brain function in that area can be disrupted, which can cause parts of the brain to stop functioning, permanent brain damage, and even death. If you don't die from it, the damage can change the way your brain makes sense of reality, which of course changes who you are.

I urge you to listen to Dr. Taylor's personal account of what it feels like to have a stroke,. Because she's a brain scientist, you'll probably never again hear a story quite like hers. Her presentation was for TED, which shares videos of enlightening speakers online, so the talk lasts about 20 minutes. If you take the time to watch it all the way through, you'll be glad you did.



Now I'm going to encourage you to do two things.

First, read Dr. Taylor's book. If you think her presentation is remarkable, you should hear the whole story. You'll never think of stroke in the same way again. But it's not just a memoir. In plain English, she describes how the brain works. More important she shares the wisdom that her seven-year journey to recovery brought her.

Second, go to the TED website, watch a couple videos, and then bookmark it. It's one of the most valuable online resources I've found.