Reviews
The first chapter sets the stage, dramatically…
A stroke is a formidable neurological foe that you’ve faced not once but twice, with six years separating these battles. Your unyielding character and focus have been your compass, guiding you with resilience through these challenges. Your innate talent as a writer has allowed you to shine in a vibrant and brilliant communications career within the federal public service. Your dreams have indeed come to fruition!
You are a beautiful soul with a remarkable sense of observation, radiating an aura that naturally attracts extraordinary people from all walks of life. Becoming Comfortably Numb is more than a memoir—it is a guidebook for stroke patients, their families, friends, and medical professionals alike. It provides a holistic view of navigating fear, medical complexities, and health barriers while shedding light on the human spirit’s ability to overcome. Written in clear, accessible language, the book demystifies the often-intimidating medical terminology associated with strokes.
Interwoven with moments from your family life, the narrative is tender and deeply human, offering glimpses of gentle, heartfelt interactions.
Memorable anecdotes—like Hotel California, Dr. Skylight, frozen green beans, the famous eastern coffee, the custom gas pedal, verbal exchange with Mr. Cool, and the poignant “but one Acropolis”—are woven throughout, adding richness and depth to your story.
The final chapter resonates deeply, embodying the ultimate goal: Independence. This is what it means to truly live.
Bravo Cathy!
– Laurent Bernard
Cathy’s journey is one of courage and resilience. It is one of heartbreaking sadness and exhilarating joy. A truly moving and brutally honest telling of her fight to reclaim her life after stroke. The beauty of her spirit is evident throughout as she refuses to take no for an answer, looking for answers and strategies to build back her life. Always advocating for herself and now others as she shares her journey forward, upwards and onwards. An emotional and inspirational must read.
– Amazon customer
Some stories shake you to your core—not because they are dramatic, but because they reveal the quiet, everyday battles of the human spirit. *Becoming Comfortably Numb* by Catherine Allard is not just about surviving two strokes; it is about reconstructing a life when the foundation has been shattered—twice. This memoir is not a tale of instant triumph, nor is it sugarcoated with clichés about resilience. Instead, it is an intimate, unfiltered meditation on loss, adaptation, and the evolution of selfhood when the body refuses to cooperate.
Allard writes with the weight of someone who has not only endured suffering but has wrestled with it long enough to understand its contours. The beauty of this memoir lies in its honesty: she does not romanticize the process of healing. She speaks of numbness, not just in the physical sense but also in the emotional void that chronic illness can create. She details moments of frustration—trying to soothe her infant daughter with a hand that no longer obeys, wondering if her worth is diminished because her independence is compromised.
But within this numbness, there is movement. The narrative is not about “overcoming” in the traditional sense; rather, it is about learning to coexist with the body’s limitations while refusing to be defined by them. Allard’s exploration of neuroplasticity—the brain’s ability to rewire itself—is fascinating, but even more compelling is how she applies this concept to identity. Who are we when the things that once defined us—career, mobility, even the ease of simple gestures—are suddenly altered?
In the end, *Becoming Comfortably Numb* is not a book about loss; it is about reconstruction. It is about rediscovering joy, purpose, and connection in a body that operates on new terms. It is about rethinking what strength looks like. It is, above all, a reminder that resilience is not always loud. Sometimes, it is a quiet, patient force—one that carries a mother up the steps of the Acropolis, years after she thought she would never walk unassisted again.
– bookbyurvi on Instagram
Catherine Allard’s *Becoming Comfortably Numb* is a raw, inspiring memoir that charts one woman’s extraordinary journey through trauma, resilience, and the slow, steadfast work of rebuilding a life. At 27, Allard—a new mother on maternity leave—suffered a devastating stroke that left her right side paralyzed and her future uncertain. This book is her testament to the power of love, determination, and the brain’s remarkable ability to heal.
Allard’s writing is intimate and unflinching, pulling readers into the terror of her early days in the hospital: the guilt of being unable to cradle her infant daughter, the despair of wondering if she’d ever work again, and the crushing weight of a second stroke six years later. Yet, this is not a story defined by suffering. With poignant clarity, she recounts small victories—relearning to walk, adapting to being “differently abled,” and eventually climbing the Acropolis—each milestone a testament to her grit.
What sets this memoir apart is its dual focus on emotional and practical healing. Allard doesn’t shy from the dark moments (her title nods to the numbness that became her “new normal”), but she also offers actionable insights. She details how she adapted daily tasks, leveraged neuroplasticity, and advocated for herself in medical and professional settings. Her career in communications, which she maintained for decades post-stroke, underscores her refusal to be reduced by her condition.
At its heart, *Becoming Comfortably Numb* is a tribute to community. Allard’s husband, daughter, healthcare teams, and employers emerge as quiet heroes, their support a reminder that recovery is rarely solitary. Her reflections on parenting with a disability are particularly moving, blending vulnerability with fierce devotion.
– Booksforbadal on Instagram
Catherine Allard’s Becoming Comfortably Numb is a deeply honest and quietly powerful memoir about resilience, loss, reinvention—and the long, often lonely road back to self after a life-altering stroke.
At just 27, three months after giving birth to her daughter, Cathy experienced her first stroke. Her entire right side became numb and burning, her sense of balance and body awareness shattered. Her husband Jean-Pierre stepped in as Mr. Mom while she began the gruelling process of rehab and relearning. Six years later, she suffered an even more damaging stroke—and began again.
But what makes this story so compelling is not just the physical recovery—it’s the emotional one. Cathy doesn’t sugarcoat the fear, guilt, or frustration. She writes with clarity, vulnerability, and grace as she retraces the small victories (like driving again with a left-foot gas pedal) and the big milestones (climbing the Acropolis!). She becomes left-handed. She builds a new version of herself. And she keeps going.
This book is a tribute to neuroplasticity, yes—but even more, it’s a love letter to human determination. Cathy’s story is never about perfection or even full “healing” in the traditional sense—it’s about adapting, growing, and finding meaning in the life you’ve been given, not the one you planned.
Whether you’re living with a disability, caring for someone who is, or just navigating your own unexpected challenges, this book will leave you a little more humbled, a little more hopeful, and a lot more inspired.
And in Cathy’s words: “Don’t forget to rock ‘n roll.”
– HypeGram on Instagram
Thank you Cathy, the pleasure is mine. A best-seller you’ve written, to help stroke patients for all time!!!
– Dr. Hillel Finestone – Director, Stroke Rehabilitation Research, Bruyère Health, Professor of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Ottawa and keynote speaker on neuroplasticity at my book launch in September 2024
This inspirational memoir is both heartbreaking but uplifting at the same time. Cathy’s indomitable spirit has helped her to find solutions to problems that would have knocked most of us flat. She is a gifted writer who shares her pain and her joys with an open heart. She made me cry but she also made me laugh. This book is a must-read for anyone who wants to understand chronic pain and for anyone who loves stories of courage and fortitude. I loved this beautiful book.
– Vera Adamovich, August 2024
Cathy has a wonderful writing style. Chapter on Leg Brace and Botox reads well. We need more books like this!
– Dr. Peter K. Stys – Professor, Clinical Neurosciences, Cumming School of Medicine University of Calgary
