Ep. 17 Comfortable Being Uncomfortable with Nicole Salzano

In Episode 17, we sit down with Nicole Salzano, a young stroke survivor and passionate advocate for aphasia awareness. Her story is especially powerful because her stroke happened while she was in college, completely changing the course of her life at a time when everything was just getting started.Nicole shares how her stroke was caused by an undiagnosed blood clotting condition combined with birth control, something she—and many others—had no idea could be a risk. It’s a part of her story that highlights how important it is to ask questions and advocate for your health.She opens up about what it’s really like to navigate life after a stroke at such a young age, from the frustration of communication challenges to the mental toughness it takes to keep moving forward. Nicole talks about learning to do hard things, embracing discomfort, and how becoming comfortable being uncomfortable has shaped her recovery and mindset.She also dives into the importance of self advocacy, why speaking up in medical situations matters, and how it can directly impact your outcome.