Taylor: My Stroke of Insight

From Scienticity

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Current revision as of 21:31, 26 August 2009

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Jill Bolte Taylor, My Stroke of Insight : A Brain Scientist’s Personal Journey. New York: Viking/Plume, 2009. 184 pages; illustrated; with appendices.

My Stroke of Insight provides a fascinating first-person perspective on the physical, mental, and emotional aspects of a stroke victim's experience. The author, patient, and brain-scientist are one-in-the-same, so the reader is treated to both the science of what occurs, and the personal narrative of a stroke survivor's experience. The author is a Harvard-trained brain scientist, and provides two chapters covering basic science of the brain, including diagrams, so the reader has an understanding of the parts of the brain and the functions affected by different types of stroke.

We are introduced to the author before she has her stroke, so we can get an understanding of her life and capabilities before-hand. Then she steps us through the stroke experience, virtually minute by minute, as she recognizes that something is wrong, begins to take inventory of functions that shut down, and her ever-changing perspective on her body and environment.

Since Dr. Taylor was trained as a brain scientist, she approached the experience with a scientist's fascination (and almost a childlike wonder) as events unfolded. As a result, it is not difficult or painful to read the account, but is fascinating for the reader, as well. I was captivated by her description of sensing her body composition as that of a fluid rather than that of a solid, and of her description of the cessation of the brain chatter, resulting in the instant evaporation of memories of the past and dreams of the future.

Having had a father who suffered a stroke, it was also enlightening for me to get a glimpse into the frustrations experienced as a recovering stroke victim. For instance, because the left hemisphere of Dr. Taylor's brain was affected by the stroke, she lost use of her language center, and so stopped thinking in language immediately thereafter. It wasn't that she couldn't think anymore, just not in the same way. Similarly, she also lost use of the internal clock that could break moments into consecutive brief instances, so she no longer felt a rush to do anything.

Knowing how these mental functions are altered by stroke could certainly make family and caregivers much more effective and compassionate in their interactions with stroke patients. In fact, it seems that the message of this book is clearly intended, at least in part, for those friends, family, and caregivers of stroke patients, so that they can more clearly understand what the patient is experiencing, requires, and cannot tolerate.

While my father did not live long enough to make a complete recovery after his stroke, Dr. Taylor has done so, over the course of eight years. We are treated to the joys of each achievement, and her perspective on the choices we each are given in finding a healthy balance between the abilities of the left and right hemispheres of our brains.

-- Notes by LFW