Change in the weather

the long version

Mark McEwen's strokes were anything but sudden. His symptoms led him to a hospital, where he was misdiagnosed with the flu. Two days later, on an airplane flight just hours before he finally collapsed, flight attendants and airport staff discounted his slurred speech and heavy sweating, passing him odd as intoxicated. Misinformation not only delayed his treatment but nearly cost him his life. A candid, moving memoir, Change in the Weather traces one man's recovery in the aftermath of temporarily losing some of his greatest gifts-his talent as a public speaker and his warm, witty exuberance-while his wife worked valiantly to care for their children as well as her seriously ill husband. Telling an ultimately triumphant story, McEwen also offers insights into the warning signs of stoke as well as prevention and treatment options. Though stroke is the number-one cause of disability among adults in the United States-and the third-leading cause of death-it is also one of the least discussed conditions, and insurance coverage often fails to meet the staggering cost of rehabilitation afterward. Change in the Weather signals a change in America's mind-set, led by one of our most dynamic new crusaders for stroke victims and their families.