At 28-years-old, Jessica Lindsay suffered a severe brain stem stroke. After a life-saving procedure at Nebraska Medicine, Jessica could only blink her eyes and was “locked-in” her body. The rare syndrome affects about one percent of stroke survivors and renders people unable to move or talk, but aware of what’s happening around them. When Jessica admitted to Madonna’s Specialty Hospital, she was emotionally and physically fragile.
The young wife and mother’s biggest motivators were her family and her Madonna team. Through Jessica’s own grit and determination, she relearned to breathe independently, eat, drink and talk again. “She just never quit and that’s what’s amazing, she just kept fighting,” said Rhiannon Svitak, speech languag pathologist. Jessica continues to make strides in her mobility and is grateful for life.
