The Silent Paralyzer: A decade of life disrupted - Paperback

by Natasha Chai (Author)

Natasha Chai was living an ordinary life until the night her family found her paralyzed, unable to feel sensation and robbed of the ability to move or speak. While the stroke symptoms had subsided by the time she was transported to the hospital, this was just the beginning of a repetitive nightmare. Through the years, Natasha's random bouts of paralytic attacks and aphasia would wreak havoc, catapulting her down staircases or rendering her temporarily unconscious - many a time in the presence of family and friends.

Natasha tells a breathtaking true story of her arduous journey battling against a migraine disorder so rare that it has become too elusive a thing for even specialists to treat and cure. The Silent Paralyzer chronicles a decade-long battle riddled with wrong diagnoses, unfair judgment, and living in fear of being a lifelong burden to her loved ones. It is an unforgettable tale of repeated survival and recovery that is a testament of the human condition, demanding iron grit to push forward no matter the odds.

Natasha Chai was born an Aussie and grew up in Alberta, Canada, where she has spent over 20 years in the public sector. While a dedicated public servant, Natasha is also a chronic migraineur who suffers from hemiplegic migraine - a rare and specific subtype of this invisible disease that renders her temporarily paralyzed. Being diagnosed with such an ailment at 33 years of age, Natasha is set to raise her voice by sharing her personal story in The Silent Paralyzer to raise awareness of this debilitating condition in efforts to erase the stigma so many migraine sufferers have endured for so long. Natasha lives with her husband, Luc, who has stood by her side from the very first night the hemiplegia plagued their family. Together, they have two children, Dennis and Isaac, who are their everything.