Crossword Editor Solves Stroke with a Game of Chance and a Wheelchair

So, picture this: it’s a typical Sunday night in February, and Will Shortz, the king of crossword puzzles, is at home in Pleasantville, New York. Sounds cozy, right? Well, hold onto your canes, because one casual lean to the left—an adventurous little act, really—transports him from puzzling over five-letter words to a more exciting four-letter tale: S-T-R-O-K-E!

“I knew immediately I had had a stroke,” he shared, as if deciphering a riddle rather than facing a medical emergency. But isn’t that just like Shortz—to solve life’s mysteries even amidst chaos? This stroke decided to go all-in, claiming the right side of his brain and declaring his left side a no-fly zone.

Luckily for us and the crossword fanatics across the globe, his knack for puzzles remained intact. Imagine that: a man who’s almost completely incapacitated on one side can still churn out brain-bending word games. God bless the brain for its capricious sense of humor!

Leave it to the right-brain injury to play favorites! As Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN’s chief medical correspondent and brain guru, notes, while Will’s left side might be doing a sad imitation of a limp noodle, his right side still works its magic with words. Who would’ve thought a stroke would offer a crash course in neurological gymnastics?

Strokes happen when blood decides it wants to cut off the brain’s supply, akin to a rude guest crashing the party and then picking a fight. According to the CDC, approximately 800,000 Americans will join this ill-fated party each year, with a staggering 165,000 leaving it prematurely. Death, after all, is one way to ensure you’ve got the final puzzle piece.

Fortunately, rehabilitation is a thing. All you need is endless months of sweat and tears, which, according to Shortz, can yield spectacular results. Who knew recovery could feel like a twisted version of a 1980s workout video?

Fast forward eight months, and Shortz is somewhat of a physical therapy warrior. He confidently proclaims, “I feel great, but my body’s still working on being the Usain Bolt it once was.” Turns out, between strokes and table tennis, there are far more pressing matters to attend to—like selecting the right pajamas for a hospital stay!

And then there’s the bathroom incident, a plot twist worthy of a sitcom! Shortz was mid-command, prepping to seek medical help, but first—bathroom break! After all, we wouldn’t want to meet our potential paramedics unprepared—what a faux pas!

Let’s not forget to admire his “worm-like” escape tactic to retrieve his phone, crucial for calling an ambulance. It seems there’s nothing quite like a stroke to motivate mobility innovation!

Upon reaching the hospital, where they tend to treat actual emergencies and not just crossword enthusiasts on some existential quest, time becomes the enemy. Dr. Michelle Lin, the timekeeper for brains, asserts, “For every minute you delay treatment, about 2 million neurons die.” Talk about a dramatic countdown!

So, if you ever suspect a stroke, don’t hesitate! Call 911, as you’d rather not test your luck building up a suspenseful narrative around your medical emergencies.

In stroke survival 101, there’s a fast way to remember symptoms: B.E. F.A.S.T. It’s practically a new acronym for the modern age! Just think balance, eyes, face, arms, speech, and of course, time—because in the race against a stroke, time is very much the tortoise you wish would hurry up.

As Shortz found himself navigating the aftermath of his bout with the Grim Reaper, he learned the importance of arm exercises. “At this point, just rest isn’t going to cut it,” he quipped, channeling his inner drill sergeant. Think of it as a comeback tour for his left arm, which surprisingly forgot it was supposed to play along during the initial phases.

By April, Shortz made the heroic decision to attend the American Crossword Puzzle Tournament—wheelchair and all. After 45 years of leading the charge, he wasn’t about to miss seeing his fans and colleagues applaud his resurgence like some sort of puzzle-solving superhero.

More therapy followed! He ambitiously tackled outpatient sessions and home exercises at a place aptly named “Rehabologym” that mixes therapy with games. Yes! Because what better way to heal than rolling dice and smashing your competition in table tennis?

Shortz, on his fanciful journey of resilience, jokes about life post-stroke. He can now wield a cane with style and is slowly reclaiming the left hand—oh, those pesky neurons still working overtime!

It turns out recovery doesn’t have an expiration date. Just like the last piece of chocolate that never lasts long enough, he shares that we might be healing longer than that “golden window” the experts emphatically stamp on brochures.

As if his spirit couldn’t get any brighter, Shortz echoed the age-old wisdom we’ve all heard before: solving a problem—be it restoring a lost limb or tackling a complex puzzle—is about making it manageable, one word at a time. Who knew recovery would mirror crossword construction? Well played, universe. Well played.