Illness: When Your Body Goes Silent

What if you woke up one day unable to speak, move, or even swallow?

Vanessa Abraham, a thriving speech pathologist and mother, was plunged into a life-threatening health crisis that left her trapped in her own body. With no clear diagnosis and a long road ahead, she found herself on the other side of the hospital bed, experiencing everything she once treated.

In this episode, Vanessa shares how she reclaimed her voice, fought for her life, and redefined her identity in the aftermath. You’ll hear:

1. What it's like to live with post-intensive care syndrome (PICS)
2. How motherhood fueled her survival
3. Why community and mental health advocacy are at the heart of her healing

About Vanessa Abraham

Vanessa Abraham, M.S. CCC-SLP, is a certified speech pathologist, author, and advocate for ICU survivors. With over 15 years of experience, she has worked extensively with children using communication devices, a skill she unexpectedly relied on during her own medical journey. Vanessa is now a passionate advocate for trauma-informed care and post-intensive care syndrome awareness, using her personal story to educate and inspire others. Her memoir, Speechless, captures her journey from provider to patient and back, offering hope and insight to those navigating similar challenges.

Connect with Vanessa:

1. Book: Speechless on Amazon
2. Instagram: @speechless_slp
3. Facebook: Speechless SLP

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Topics Discussed

1. The rare Guillain-Barre variant that left Vanessa paralyzed overnight
2. Transitioning from a speech pathologist to an ICU patient
3. The fear and confusion of not having a diagnosis for four months
4. Using communication boards and eye gaze to connect with her care team
5. Post-intensive care syndrome (PICS) and its emotional toll
6. How her daughter became her reason to live
7. Reclaiming her identity after losing her independence
8. Returning to work with a trauma-informed perspective
9. The mental health gap in ICU aftercare
10. Her book Speechless and its mission to educate clinicians and families

This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis:

Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

Mentioned in this episode:

Available Now: "still HERE: True Stories of the Moments That Changed Everything"

This episode is brought to you by *still HERE: True Stories of the Moments That Changed Everything* by Matt Gilhooly. Matt is the creator and host of The Life Shift Podcast. Over four years and more than 240 episodes, he has sat with strangers and asked them about the moments that changed everything. *still HERE* is what he found. Over 100 true stories. Eight sections. One listener making sense of what it all means for the rest of us. Available now in Kindle and paperback on Amazon. Find it here: https://www.amazon.com/Still-Here-Stories-Moments-Everything/dp/1639011854/ If you read it and it moves you, an honest review on Amazon helps more people find it.