[vc_row full_width=”” parallax=”” parallax_image=””][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_column_text]By Ed Murphy
Our guest speaker at our regular lunch meeting on January 15th was Jill Viggiano. She was accompanied by her husband Gordon, who was a central figure of her presentation. Jill spent 19 years working in commercial real estate before retiring to become a full time mom. Life was good. They were a healthy, happy family. Their children, Rachael and Tommy, were 14 and 12 years old, respectively, when – as she put it – life threw a boulder at them, with crushing impact. Seven years ago, March 27th, 2008 – Gordon had just turned 51 years old. It started with a vision problem in his left eye. And then, he fell, completely unconscious. He had suffered a massive stroke, resulting in severe brain injuries. Over the next 9 hours, their lives would be completely changed, as Gordon survived the stroke, but was left substantially disabled.
Ever since that day, Jill has focused her skills on Gordon’s recovery. She talked about the far-reaching effects his stroke has had on her, her marriage, her children, and her faith. She said that Gordon went through all phases of childhood, and had to re-learn almost everything. For months, Gordon made faces in the mirror, trying to get his face muscles to work. Their children experienced anger, resentment, embarrassment, and now “sort of” accept it. Jill learned to surrender, and to “embrace powerlessness”. She learned to accept the life they hadn’t planned on, and not waste time in regret or “what-if’s”. Meanwhile, Gordon continues to make small improvements every day in his abilities to talk, walk, and care for himself. He even launched a speaking career, where he and Jill talk about finding hope in the face of adversity.
Jill now assists Gordon in his day-to-day needs, as well as in his speaking career. This year Jill added “Published Author” to her list of accomplishments. In her book Painful Blessing, Jill tells about her spouse and caregiver experience, shedding light on the real life impact of acquired brain injury, and providing hope and encouragement to those facing significant challenges. You can learn more about Jill and Gordon at www.mybrainllc.com. To purchase a copy of her book, go to www.createspace.com/4735394.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]