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by Elizabeth Cottone (Author)
Out of the blue, one January morning in 2017, Beth Cottone, research scientist, marathoner, and mother of three, had a massive stroke. In its aftermath, she has had to relearn how to balance, walk, speak, swallow, and even breathe independently. With an academic background in the science of learning, she understood what was at stake in her recovery. In this, her second book, the author examines the emotional and practical struggles involved in returning to a functioning life - and even the possibility of happiness - after such devastating loss.
Cottone's book delivers an empathetic understanding of the challenges faced not only by stroke survivors and others with neurodivergences but also by parents, former athletes and performers, and those who have lost a "gateway skill" like vision, hearing, speech, or language. With quotations from other stroke survivors, a parent of special needs children, a former athlete, and a person with aphasia, the author illuminates the slow, painful work faced by those who lives require reinvention after traumatic change.
The author explains, "Identity foreclosure (when you can no longer meet your expectations of competence in an area that formed a principal part of your identity) is the great equalizer. It cuts across all socioeconomic levels. ... Happiness may only be found with acceptance, when we give our past self a friendly nod and move on."
If you love down-to-earth inspiration from an author with a compelling and relatable story, you'll love Elizabeth Cottone's hard-won wisdom. Buy REINVENTION: New Life After Traumatic Change and begin taking steps toward happiness today.
