Ashley Willies, my daughter, was once again kind to her dad by giving her stroke update to our audience. Sharing experiences can be therapeutic.
Greg Palast is at it again.
The worst day of my life is when my daughter, Ashley Willies, got a stroke. The best day of my life was when I saw her 10 hours later as I flew in from Houston to DC and she was still with us.
I am very proud of Ashley’s strength and persistence to get better. She was on the DC subway with a cane within 2 weeks before getting most of her vision back that allowed her to drive again. She fought to stay with her medical school class even if it meant going back earlier than either her doctor or dean recommended. I dedicated my most recent book to her. I continue in awe of her perseverance.
Ashley had a vascular malformation, an AVM, in her brain that bled. We had no clue that a small bomb lived within. She lost half her vision in each eye and had a leg drop and weakness on her left side.
The malformation was in an inoperable region. New technology came to her rescue. She had a CyberKnife procedure that used directed radiation that should cause the malformation to collapse. There can be side effects, especially given her AVM’s location with motor functions and vision. So far, hers has been minimal though she has minor left-side motor issues, especially when tired. She expects them to improve with her self-therapy.
A week after her stroke, I asked Ashley to recount her experience to our audience. I told her that her path could give someone hope. We can all draw on each other for strength, hope, and more. Check it out here.