Out of the Fog

“I thought about how good it felt that on the previous day, I had loosened the shackles of frustration in one way; by taking a big leap back into life in another. I congratulated myself on my success. I knew that I had to keep trying to crawl out of the fog to freedom again, across all areas of my life. I promised myself that no matter how difficult or frustrating it was going to be, I had to try. I had to regain control, confidence and independence”.

Alana Henderson, a successful businesswoman, suffered a stroke at fifty-nine, losing her ability to communicate along with many associated skills. Surviving the stroke was the genesis of Out of the Fog. After a traumatic nine days in acute stroke services, she abandoned the health service for the safety of her home. Three weeks later, she was diagnosed with breast cancer and diabetes. With little knowledge of how to cope with these major illnesses, she drew on her ingenuity, resourcefulness, and creativity to survive and recover. In this memoir, Alana shares her story—an enlightening and sometimes emotional journey of self-help.

Using an unconventional approach, after twelve months of a roller coaster ride of challenges and successes, Alana had reversed the diabetes, overcome obesity, recovered her language skills, achieved a positive outcome from breast surgery, and rebuilt her business. She had also learned what was really involved in “changing a lifestyle,” something often talked about but rarely explained.

Out of the Fog narrates a story of perseverance, courage, and the determination to always find a way around a problem. From being consumed by the fog of a modern lifestyle, Alana built a quality, healthy life that challenges society’s expectations of older people. In three years: from stroke to pole fitness.