Storm ahead… Deal with it!
Instead of waking up crumpled after a 12-hour flight to Borneo as I had planned, I woke up in an ICU bed at the Hospital dos Lusiadas in Lisbon with my head decorated with 48 clips and swollen like a watermelon An unexpected hemorrhagic stroke occurred while I was at the gym, where, rather ironically, I had been striving for a healthier and more disciplined lifestyle. After undergoing two surgical procedures and spending five weeks in a coma, I regained consciousness to find my head swollen to the size of a watermelon, with the left side of my body completely numb and unresponsive to any of my instructions. The lovely used Honda XR 125 that I had purchased on OLX in the Philippines
for traversing this island nation from one side to the other will have to stay idle for several more months. This was just the beginning of a challenging storm that transformed my life in ways I could never have imagined.
A few hours later, the stroke might have occurred during the flight or already after arriving in Manila. In essence, it’s important to acknowledge that we have limited or no control over our lives, and in an instant, everything can change without us having any power to intervene. Therefore, cherish every moment while you can and while your health permits, because at any time, everything might alter. It's also beneficial to always attempt to find the silver lining in unfavorable situations. If the hemorrhagic stroke had taken place during the flight or in Manila, I likely wouldn't be here penning this down. So, amidst the misfortune, I was, in fact, fortunate...
I dedicated the following year to alternating between hospitals and rehabilitation centers, spending time in five different places as I explored various therapies and rehabilitation techniques to enhance my post-stroke motor function. I managed to regain my ability to walk again, always with the support of my amazing family, my close friends, and a remarkable person who became more than just a friend, Monica, who consistently stood by my side offering her support tirelessly. All this support was crucial to make me get the strengt to keep fighting to recover as much as possible. Jorge, a fellow adventure rider and good frien from USA came to visit me in Lisbon and brought me two gifts that made my stay in the hospital much more bearable. The classic book Sailing Alone Around the World by Joshua Slocum and The Atlas of Pilot charts from the North Atlantic Ocean. These two gifts were instrumental in healing my mind , not his physical injuries, but by nurturing my perspective, it rekindled my desire to explore the world once more.
The first thing I remember after Wake Up from a Coma is saying to the nurse. If I was gone It was ok, I had a great life, raised by an amazing lovely family, I Have Loved, I'Ve been Loved, had a sucessful carrear and the oportunity to vist more then 100 countries in my RTW travels. I had a great life
But since I stayed in this side and had the oportunity for a life 2.0, I decided I'm going to make the most of it.
As soon as I was able to arrange my goals, I developed a plan to reconstruct myself, dedicating myself entirely to my recovery, striving to exceed my limits each day to feel exhausted yet satisfied with my efforts by the day's end.
