{"id":74060,"date":"2025-02-27T16:26:38","date_gmt":"2025-02-27T23:26:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/?p=74060"},"modified":"2025-02-27T16:26:38","modified_gmt":"2025-02-27T23:26:38","slug":"humans-of-nau-vanessa-abraham","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/humans-of-nau-vanessa-abraham\/","title":{"rendered":"Humans of NAU: Vanessa Abraham"},"content":{"rendered":"

Six years after graduating from NAU, <\/span>Vanessa Abraham<\/span><\/b> was in the ICU, fighting for her life against a debilitating illness. She survived but then faced another fight against the trauma that comes from an ICU stay. Learn how she moved through these difficult challenges, the book in which she pours out her story and how she wants to celebrate the anniversary of her survival.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What brought you to NAU?<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u202fI attended NAU during the\u202fsummers\u202fwhen I attended the\u202fsummers-only program\u202fin communication\u202fsciences\u202fand disorders (CSD) program. I graduated in 2013. At the time I lived in Phoenix,\u202fso it was\u202fan easy commute and while I attended the\u202fsummers-only program\u202fI was\u202fable to live with\u202fmy aunt and uncle and that provided a\u202fsafe loving home for\u202fme to live in during\u202fmy\u202fstay.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What are you doing now for work?<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

I work as\u202fa\u202fschool-based\u202fspeech pathologist and own\u202fmy own rehabilitation\u202fpractice called Aneu Healing. I am\u202fa certified Neufit practitioner and use\u202fmy\u202fskills\u202fas\u202fa Neufit practitioner to help others\u202frecover from\u202fneurological disorders. I am also a\u202fspeaker, where I\u202fspeak about the effects\u202fof\u202fmedical trauma inflicted on ICU\u202fsurvivors\u202fwith a focus\u202fon educating others on Post Intensive Care\u202fSyndrome (PICS).<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Tell\u202fme about the\u202fmedical event that\u202fstarted this\u202fjourney.<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"VanessaIn 2019,\u202fmy life took an unexpected and dramatic turn when I acquired a\u202fserious\u202fillness\u202fthat left\u202fme paralyzed and dependent on life\u202fsupport. At the time, I was\u202fa healthy, vibrant\u202fmom\u202fto a young toddler, balancing the demands\u202fof a full-time job as\u202fa speech language pathologist with the joys\u202fof\u202fmotherhood.\u202fSuddenly, without warning, everything changed. What began as\u202fan ordinary day quickly escalated into a\u202fmedical emergency, and within days, I found\u202fmyself in the ICU, unable to\u202fmove or breathe on\u202fmy own. The illness\u202frobbed\u202fme of the ability to care for\u202fmyself and\u202fmy child, forcing\u202fme into a prolonged battle for\u202fsurvival. The physical toll was\u202fimmense, but the emotional and psychological impact of being unable to interact with\u202fmy family or hold\u202fmy child was almost unbearable. What\u202fshould have been a time of growing with\u202fmy toddler, watching\u202fmilestones and\u202fsharing the experiences\u202fof\u202fmotherhood, instead became a time of\u202fstruggle, fear, and uncertainty as\u202fI fought through the battles\u202fof PICS. Through this\u202fchallenging period, I faced not only the fight for\u202fmy life but also a profound\u202fshift in\u202fmy identity and what it\u202fmeant to be a\u202fmother, wife and\u202fSLP.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Tell\u202fme about your book.<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

I was\u202ffortunate to\u202fsurvive and ultimately regain\u202fmuch of\u202fmy independence, but the emotional and\u202fmental impact of\u202fmy ICU\u202fstay, though less\u202fvisible, proved to be just as\u202fprofound as\u202fthe physical challenges\u202fI faced.\u202fMany people who\u202fsurvive critical illness\u2014whether they are patients\u202for their loved ones\u2014are unaware of the psychological toll that an ICU\u202fstay can have. This\u202finvisible aftermath is\u202fwhat I now understand as\u202fPost-Intensive Care\u202fSyndrome, a condition that affects\u202fnot only the patients but also their families.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

PICS\u202fencompasses\u202fa range of psychological and cognitive challenges, including anxiety, depression, post-traumatic\u202fstress disorder (PTSD),\u202fmemory issues and difficulties\u202fin concentration. For\u202fme, the depression and anxiety that followed\u202fmy time on life\u202fsupport were\u202fstartling, as\u202fwere the emotional\u202fstruggles\u202fthat I didn\u2019t initially recognize as\u202fpart of\u202fmy recovery. It was only through\u202fself-reflection and connecting with others\u202fwho had\u202fsimilar experiences\u202fin\u202fsupport groups\u202fthat I began to understand how PICS\u202faffects\u202fso\u202fmany individuals, often without the\u202fsupport or recognition they need.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"VanessaIn\u202fmy\u202fbook,\u202f\u201cSPEECHLESS: How a\u202fSpeech Therapist Lost Her Ability to\u202fSpeak and Her\u202fSilent\u202fStruggle to Reclaim\u202fHer Voice and Life,\u201d I aim\u202fto\u202fshed light on the psychological aspects\u202fof an ICU\u202fstay, educate the community about PICS and offer guidance for patients, caregivers and healthcare professionals. Through\u202fmy own\u202fstory, I hope to encourage a broader understanding of recovery that goes\u202fbeyond physical healing. By acknowledging the psychological wounds\u202fthat often accompany critical illness, we can create a\u202fmore compassionate,\u202fsupportive environment for all ICU\u202fsurvivors\u202fand their families.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

How did your experience at NAU help you work through that challenge?<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The knowledge I gained at NAU was\u202finstrumental in giving\u202fme a foundation of neurological impairments\u202fand the rehabilitation journey as\u202fa\u202fspeech pathologist on the receiving end of\u202fspeech therapy\u202fservices.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What did you want to be when you grew up?\u202f<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

My original plan was\u202fto go into business,\u202fso I earned a bachelor\u2019s degree in business\u202fadministration with a\u202fminor in\u202fmarketing. I quickly learned that was\u202fnot for\u202fme and applied to the\u202fCSD program. Once I got immersed in the CSD program, I knew this\u202fwas\u202fwhere I belonged.\u202f\u202f<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Tell\u202fme about a\u202fsignificant childhood\u202fmemory and how it has\u202fimpacted your life today.\u202f<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Growing up,\u202fmy parents\u202fwere the epitome of hard work and perseverance. They were both career-driven individuals\u202fwho pushed themselves\u202frelentlessly, often\u202fsacrificing work-life balance in pursuit of providing for our family and ensuring our future\u202fsecurity. While their intense work ethic\u202fsometimes\u202fmeant they\u202fstretched themselves\u202fbeyond healthy limits, it also instilled in\u202fme a deep appreciation for resilience, discipline and determination. I watched them\u202fendure difficult times\u202fwith grace, whether it was\u202fmanaging a challenging job, dealing with financial\u202fstresses or navigating the ups\u202fand downs\u202fof life. Though they\u202fmay not have always\u202fverbalized the importance of work-life balance, what they demonstrated through their actions\u202fwas\u202fan unwavering commitment to their responsibilities. They\u202fshowed\u202fme that in the face of adversity, we push forward\u2014even when it\u2019s\u202fhard, even when we want to give up.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>When I was\u202ffaced with\u202fmy own battle for\u202fsurvival in the ICU, I found\u202fmyself drawing upon the\u202fstrength that\u202fmy parents\u202fhad\u202fmodeled for\u202fme.\u202fSurviving an ICU\u202fstay is\u202fnot for the faint-hearted; it takes\u202fa level of inner\u202fstrength, determination and\u202fsheer willpower to push through the pain, fear, anxiety and profound\u202fsocial isolation that often accompany\u202fsuch a traumatic experience. When\u202fmy body was\u202ffailing, when every breath was\u202fa\u202fstruggle and when the fear of not being able to return to\u202fmy family consumed\u202fme, I reached deep inside and tapped into that fighting\u202fspirit I had witnessed in\u202fmy parents. Their example of perseverance became\u202fmy lifeline. I didn’t have the luxury of despair or hesitation; I had to keep fighting, just as they had done throughout their lives.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"VanessaI had\u202fseen\u202fmy parents\u202fface countless\u202fchallenges, whether personal, professional or financial, and they always\u202ffound a way to endure. That\u202fmemory\u2014of watching them\u202fpush through difficult times\u202fwithout ever\u202fseeming to break\u2014gave\u202fme the emotional fortitude to push through\u202fmy own darkest\u202fmoments. I can\u2019t\u202fsay for certain if I would have gotten through\u202fmy ICU\u202fstay as\u202fI did without their example. Without their implicit teaching of\u202fendurance,\u202fstrength and\u202fcommitment, I\u202fmight have\u202fsuccumbed to the overwhelming odds\u202fstacked against\u202fme.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What is\u202fyour favorite way to\u202fspend a day off?\u202f<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

On\u202fmy day off I enjoy being alone, hiking and doing\u202fsomething that promotes\u202fself-care in\u202fmyself\u202fsuch as\u202fattending a\u202fsound bath class, being outside or in nature, getting a\u202fmassage or immersing\u202fmyself in a book.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What are three things\u202fon your bucket list?\u202f<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Reunite with friends\u202fin person that I have\u202fmet through\u202fmy\u202fmedical journey but have never encountered in person.\u202fMany of these people are individuals\u202fin\u202fmy virtual PICS\u202fsupport group or prayer warriors\u202faround the U.S.\u202fthat were instrumental in helping\u202fme deal with the depression, anxiety and\u202fsocial isolation during\u202fmy recovery.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
  2. Celebrate\u202fmy 10-year anniversary of my\u202fmedical diagnosis\u202fby going to the Caribbean\u202fwith\u202fmy family.<\/span><\/li>\n
  3. Attend a\u202fmindfulness\/meditation\u202fretreat\u202fthat is focused on health and healing treatments.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    Six years after graduating from NAU, Vanessa Abraham was in the ICU, fighting for her life against a debilitating illness. She survived but then faced another fight against the trauma that comes from an ICU stay. Learn how she moved through these difficult challenges, the book in which she pours out her story and how…<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":59,"featured_media":74061,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1817],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-74060","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-humans-of-nau"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/74060","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/59"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=74060"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/74060\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/74061"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=74060"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=74060"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=74060"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}