Adrienne Aldridge is a self-described people-person.
“My heart is with other people all the time,” says Aldridge. “I’m the ‘mom’ friend, always helping others out.”
It’s a part of herself that she has worked hard to maintain even as her life dramatically changed.
In 2017, the then 22-year-old was headed to a lake trip with friends four hours from her Texas home when her hands suddenly went numb, followed by her core and legs. After a week in the hospital, she learned that what she initially thought might be an allergic reaction was a rare stroke in her spinal cord.
“I was told there is no cure, and my body would heal itself,” says Aldridge, who has regained some hand and arm function. “The timing was awful. I had just finished my associate degree and was planning to move into my own home.”
Aldridge is quick to add that the timing was also lucky. The stroke could have occurred while she was out on the lake with little access to medical help. It is this kind of positive approach that’s helped Aldridge move forward.
“I take it day by day. One day is ok, and the next is not, and that’s ok. I feel like I’m always adjusting,” says Aldridge. “You have to find what works for you. I like talking to others and keeping that part of who I am is important.”
Aldridge first learned about the Reeve Foundation Peer & Family Support Program while in rehab at Baylor Hospital. As such a social person, it is not surprising that she maintains regular connections with three mentors she has met over the years. She finds the support, and the conversation, enormously helpful.
“There are a lot of us out there, and people don’t realize it. I was just at a store and saw two other people in wheelchairs,” says Aldridge. “I try to feel like I am a normal part of society, but it is hard when you aren’t moving like everyone else. My friends recently went to a concert, and I couldn’t go because the venue wasn’t accessible. There are so many things I get left out of.”