Latarsha that came here was literally walking dead. She was beaten, she was broken. Life really took a toll on her. And she didn’t pay attention to taking care of herself. As a result of the stroke, I had weakness on my left side, and I had to walk with a cane for about three months. And I had to work up my ability to respond quickly, even in speech.
So when I am reaching for words, it’s literally me slowing down, and it’s like I am stopping and I’m looking up in this dictionary in the sky. It is the thing that Barbie helped me with for an entire year. She would be talking, and everything would be flowing smoothly, and then she would stop, and like, I can’t find the word I’m looking for.
And I remember at one point we like, clasped hands, and she just kind of needed my energy for a minute.
Having the second event was upsetting. Honestly, I was very scared.
I take an aspirin every day, and I take a statin. So those are the only two things that I take. Not having a guarantee that these medications are going to keep me from having a stroke is nerve wracking. Why isn’t there something already being tested or out there getting closer to figuring out something that can prevent strokes from happening?
Latarsha that we see now, she’s living loudly, unapologetically, being a force to be reckoned with.
When I’m the best version of myself, then I can be a better mom, I can be a better wife, I can be a better teacher, I can be a better friend. This is a better version of me. This is a better energy that I’m putting out into the world. In the next chapter of my life, I just want to get better and better and better every day.