--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When my disease nearly destroyed me in…" description: "\"When my disease nearly destroyed me in 2009, my doctors thought I'd be lucky to regain 80 percent of my cognitive abilities. When I was at my sickest, ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8a4/susannah-cahalan-12404_doctor_when-my-disease-nearly-destroyed-me-in-2_688933.jpg" --- # When my disease nearly destroyed me in 2009, my doctors… ![“When my disease nearly destroyed me in 2009, my doctors thought I'd be lucky to regain 80 percent of my cognitive abilities. When I was at my sickest, I couldn't read or write. I could barely walk on my own or groom myself. The disease felled me physically and mentally - robbing me, briefly but…” quote by Susannah Cahalan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8a4/susannah-cahalan-12404_doctor_when-my-disease-nearly-destroyed-me-in-2_688933.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8a4/susannah-cahalan-12404_doctor_when-my-disease-nearly-destroyed-me-in-2_688933.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8a4/susannah-cahalan-12404_doctor_when-my-disease-nearly-destroyed-me-in-2_688933.jpg) > “When my disease nearly destroyed me in 2009, my doctors thought I'd be lucky to regain 80 percent of my cognitive abilities. When I was at my sickest, I couldn't read or write. I could barely walk on my own or groom myself. The disease felled me physically and mentally - robbing me, briefly but intensely, of my wits, my sanity, my memory, my self.” [Susannah Cahalan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susannah-cahalan/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Severe illness can strip identity, yet recovery can restore much of one’s mental self. **In simple terms:** Illness can erase self, but recovery can rebuild. Key Takeaway Seek persistent therapy and support. Themes illness recovery identity neuroplasticity Mood hopeful somber Type memoir inspirational When to use this quote - stroke recovery - traumatic brain injury - mental health therapy - post-illness adjustment Key Concepts cognitive rehabilitation psychology neurobiology Questions to Reflect On - What aspects of self feel most vulnerable after illness? - How can you support others in similar journeys? A Different Perspective Recovery may be incomplete and painful. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Doctor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doctor/) [Lucky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lucky/) [Medicine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/medicine/) [Memory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/memory/) [Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self/) ## Related quotes > [I was something of a surprise to my parents. My mum, Margaret, was 42 when she had me and had been told she couldn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-myers/i-was-something-of-a-surprise-to-my-parents-my-mum-margaret-was-42/) [Dave Myers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-myers/) > [“No, I’m talking about undiscovered science. A thousand years ago, people believed the earth was flat. 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I truly believe anything is possible… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-sorum/i-ve-had-so-many-life-lessons-but-the-more-i-ve-walked-through-tough/) [Matt Sorum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-sorum/) > [You don't have to be a creative maverick to have a troubled mind. You just have to be human. There is no 'us' and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-haig/you-don-t-have-to-be-a-creative-maverick-to-have-a-troubled-mind-you/) [Matt Haig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-haig/) > [This is a sport of a lot of knowledge, of knowing yourself well, knowing your soul and your spirit, your abilities both physically and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jorge-masvidal/this-is-a-sport-of-a-lot-of-knowledge-of-knowing-yourself-well/) [Jorge Masvidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jorge-masvidal/) > [Respecting yourself is key - physically and mentally.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-sorum/respecting-yourself-is-key-physically-and-mentally/) [Matt Sorum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-sorum/) > [I can honestly say that since I started working out, chasing my dreams & eating healthy...I've never felt better physically or mentally.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-can-honestly-say-that-since-i-started-working-out-chasing-my-dreams/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I like to keep healthy physically and mentally, too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nobu-matsuhisa/i-like-to-keep-healthy-physically-and-mentally-too/) [Nobu Matsuhisa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nobu-matsuhisa/) > [To me a woman is not defined by how developed she is physically, but mentally.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anette-sandberg/to-me-a-woman-is-not-defined-by-how-developed-she-is-physically-but/) [Anette Sandberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anette-sandberg/) > [The older you get, the less physically and mentally robust you become.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irvine-welsh/the-older-you-get-the-less-physically-and-mentally-robust-you-become/) [Irvine Welsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irvine-welsh/) > [Physically and mentally I'm stronger right now because an injury is not playing on my mind all the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-redknapp/physically-and-mentally-i-m-stronger-right-now-because-an-injury-is/) [Jamie Redknapp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-redknapp/) > [There is nothing in this world that you will need that you can't give yourself physically, mentally,emotionally, financially etc.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gebru-villars/there-is-nothing-in-this-world-that-you-will-need-that-you-can-t-give/) [Gebru Villars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gebru-villars/) ## More by Susannah Cahalan > [I think people need to be comfortable questioning the authority of a doctor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susannah-cahalan/i-think-people-need-to-be-comfortable-questioning-the-authority-of-a/) [Susannah Cahalan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susannah-cahalan/) > [When you want to write well, wake up at 5 A.M.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susannah-cahalan/when-you-want-to-write-well-wake-up-at-5-a-m/) [Susannah Cahalan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susannah-cahalan/) > [The true story of how my husband, Stephen, and I exchanged our first 'I love you's' - chronicled in my 2012 memoir 'Brain on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susannah-cahalan/the-true-story-of-how-my-husband-stephen-and-i-exchanged-our-first-i/) [Susannah Cahalan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susannah-cahalan/) > [On April 2, the nurses started my first round of five intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) infusions. The clear IV bags hung on a metal pole…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susannah-cahalan/on-april-2-the-nurses-started-my-first-round-of-five-intravenous/) [Susannah Cahalan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susannah-cahalan/) > [“No great mind has ever existed without a touch of madness,” Aristotle said.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susannah-cahalan/no-great-mind-has-ever-existed-without-a-touch-of-madness-aristotle/) [Susannah Cahalan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susannah-cahalan/) > [In the world of online invitations, nothing is sacred. People will invite all 500 of their 'closest' friends to their birthday party - and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susannah-cahalan/in-the-world-of-online-invitations-nothing-is-sacred-people-will/) [Susannah Cahalan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susannah-cahalan/) > [“The mind is like a circuit of Christmas tree lights. When the brain works well, all of the lights twinkle brilliantly, and it’s adaptable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susannah-cahalan/the-mind-is-like-a-circuit-of-christmas-tree-lights-when-the-brain/) [Susannah Cahalan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susannah-cahalan/) > [“Stephen was alluring in that languid, stay-out-all-night kind of way: a musician with long, unkempt hair, a skinny smoker’s frame, and an encyclopedic knowledge…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susannah-cahalan/stephen-was-alluring-in-that-languid-stay-out-all-night-kind-of-way-a/) [Susannah Cahalan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susannah-cahalan/) > [“A string of multicolored Christmas lights roped around the length of the yard, and Ryan Adams played in the background.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susannah-cahalan/a-string-of-multicolored-christmas-lights-roped-around-the-length-of/) [Susannah Cahalan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susannah-cahalan/) > [“Someone once asked, "If you could take it all back, would you?" At the time I didn't know. Now I do. I wouldn't take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susannah-cahalan/someone-once-asked-if-you-could-take-it-all-back-would-you-at-the/) [Susannah Cahalan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susannah-cahalan/) > [The most dangerous age is 14. If you know any teenagers, this might not come as a surprise, but research has confirmed that risk-taking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susannah-cahalan/the-most-dangerous-age-is-14-if-you-know-any-teenagers-this-might-not/) [Susannah Cahalan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susannah-cahalan/) > [It's hard to imagine a time when lobster pots weren't part of a well-equipped kitchen, but America's love affair with the two-clawed crustaceans didn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susannah-cahalan/it-s-hard-to-imagine-a-time-when-lobster-pots-weren-t-part-of-a-well/) [Susannah Cahalan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susannah-cahalan/) > [Redheads feel hot and cold temperatures more severely than anyone else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susannah-cahalan/redheads-feel-hot-and-cold-temperatures-more-severely-than-anyone-else/) [Susannah Cahalan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susannah-cahalan/) > [In Greek myth, a chimera is a creepy combination of lion, goat, dragon - in humans, chimeras are one person who contains two sets…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susannah-cahalan/in-greek-myth-a-chimera-is-a-creepy-combination-of-lion-goat-dragon/) [Susannah Cahalan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susannah-cahalan/) > [“I had lost confidence and a sense of self. Who am I? Am I a person who cowers in fear at the back of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susannah-cahalan/i-had-lost-confidence-and-a-sense-of-self-who-am-i-am-i-a-person-who/) [Susannah Cahalan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susannah-cahalan/) [Explore all 55 Susannah Cahalan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susannah-cahalan/) ## More Doctor quotes > [Many patients imagine that they have tried everything. True, they have used many remedies, but they have never had the cause of their infirmity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-d-palmer/many-patients-imagine-that-they-have-tried-everything-true-they-have/) [Daniel D. Palmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-d-palmer/) > [I think people need to be comfortable questioning the authority of a doctor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susannah-cahalan/i-think-people-need-to-be-comfortable-questioning-the-authority-of-a/) [Susannah Cahalan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susannah-cahalan/) > [The doctor who diagnosed me with ALS, or motor neuron disease, told me that it would kill me in two or three years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hawking/the-doctor-who-diagnosed-me-with-als-or-motor-neuron-disease-told-me/) [Stephen Hawking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hawking/) > [Every patient carries her or his own doctor inside.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-schweitzer/every-patient-carries-her-or-his-own-doctor-inside/) [Albert Schweitzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-schweitzer/) > [“As a special branch of general philosophy, pathogenesis had never been explored. In my opinion it had never been approached in a strictly scientific…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaise-cendrars/as-a-special-branch-of-general-philosophy-pathogenesis-had-never-been/) [Blaise Cendrars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaise-cendrars/) > [A creative space is an important thing. There are so many studios that feel like doctor's offices in Nashville. I couldn't write there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-paisley/a-creative-space-is-an-important-thing-there-are-so-many-studios-that/) [Brad Paisley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-paisley/) > [We ought to observe that practice which is the hardest of all-especially for young physicians-we ought to throw in no medicine at all-to abstain-to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-randolph-of-roanoke/we-ought-to-observe-that-practice-which-is-the-hardest-of-all/) John Randolph of Roanoke > [The miracle drugs (neuroleptics) cause the worst plague of brain damage in medical history.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-breggin/the-miracle-drugs-neuroleptics-cause-the-worst-plague-of-brain-damage/) [Peter Breggin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-breggin/) > [“old-fashioned, gentle Scottish physician, unmoved by the considerations of profit and personal gain that could so disfigure medicine. That doctors should consider themselves businessmen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-mccall-smith/old-fashioned-gentle-scottish-physician-unmoved-by-the-considerations/) [Alexander McCall Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-mccall-smith/) > [I've never bought this idea of taking a therapeutic distance. 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My…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-john-kamen/my-parents-are-so-supportive-of-whatever-we-want-to-do-and-completely/) [Hannah John-Kamen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-john-kamen/) > [Before we can wave the handkerchief, we have to have a cold.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-d-dangoor/before-we-can-wave-the-handkerchief-we-have-to-have-a-cold/) [Robert D Dangoor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-d-dangoor/) > [Tuberculosis, starvation, fatigue, and there are many who have no desire to live.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-r-murrow/tuberculosis-starvation-fatigue-and-there-are-many-who-have-no-desire/) [Edward R. Murrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-r-murrow/) [Browse all 3,922 Doctor quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doctor/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When my disease nearly destroyed me in 2009, my doctors thought I'd be lucky to regain 80 percent of my cognitive abilities. When I was at my sickest, I couldn't read or write. I could barely walk on my own or groom myself. 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