Solving the Stroke with Will Shortz

10/10/24 • 50 min

In this episode of the Brain & Life podcast, co-host Dr. Katy Peters is joined by Will Shortz, the crossword editor for the New York Times and puzzle master of Weekend Edition Sunday on National Public Radio. Will shares how he is recovering from two strokes that he suffered in February 2024 and which types of rehabilitation really worked for his mind and body. He also discusses how he found his love for puzzles and puts Dr. Peters on the spot with one to solve on her own! Dr. Peters is then joined by Dr. Argye Hillis, Executive Vice Chair of the Department of Neurology and the Director of the Cerebrovascular Division of Neurology at Johns Hopkins Hospital. Dr. Hillis explains how strokes are diagnosed and treated, and what exciting research is happening right now.

Additional Resources

Crossword Editor Will Shortz Shares How He's Recovering from Stroke

How Board Games Helped This Man Recover from a Stroke

Get Smart about Stroke

Navigating the Complexities of Stroke

Other Brain & Life Episodes on this Topic

Matt and Kanlaya Cauli on Rebuilding Life After Stroke

Timothy Omundson on Stroke Recovery and His Return to Television

Peloton Instructor Bradley Rose on Returning to Life After Stroke

We want to hear from you!

Have a question or want to hear a topic featured on the Brain & Life Podcast?

· Record a voicemail at 612-928-6206

· Email us at [email protected]

Social Media:

Guests: Will Shortz @shortzwill; Dr. Argye Hillis @hopkinsneurons

Hosts: Dr. Daniel Correa @neurodrcorrea; Dr. Katy Peters @KatyPetersMDPhD

Additional Resources

Crossword Editor Will Shortz Shares How He's Recovering from Stroke

How Board Games Helped This Man Recover from a Stroke

Get Smart about Stroke

Navigating the Complexities of Stroke

Other Brain & Life Episodes on this Topic

Matt and Kanlaya Cauli on Rebuilding Life After Stroke

Timothy Omundson on Stroke Recovery and His Return to Television

Peloton Instructor Bradley Rose on Returning to Life After Stroke

We want to hear from you!

Have a question or want to hear a topic featured on the Brain & Life Podcast?

· Record a voicemail at 612-928-6206

· Email us at [email protected]

Social Media:

Guests: Will Shortz @shortzwill; Dr. Argye Hillis @hopkinsneurons

Hosts: Dr. Daniel Correa @neurodrcorrea; Dr. Katy Peters @KatyPetersMDPhD

Previous Episode

We Are Brave Together with Jessica Patay

In this episode of the Brain & Life podcast, co-host Dr. Katy Peters is joined by Jessica Patay, mother, caregiver, and founder of the nonprofit We Are Brave Together. Jessica discusser her son’s diagnosis with a rare genetic neurologic condition called Prader-Willi Syndrome and how it led her to found an organization whose mission is to preserve and protect the mental health of caregiving moms of disabled and neurodiverse children. Dr. Peters is then joined by Dr. Emily De Los Reyes, attending pediatric neurologist at Nationwide Children’s and Professor of Clinical Pediatrics and Neurology at The Ohio State University College of Medicine. They discuss exactly what Prader-Willi syndrome is, how it’s diagnosed and treated, and what the future looks like for patients and their families.

Additional Resources

We Are Brave Together

How Parents Advocate for Their Children with Rare Diseases

These Parents are Giving Their Teenager a Life of Adventure Despite Rett Syndrome

Sibling Caregivers Share Rewards and Challenges

Other Brain & Life Episodes on this Topic

Resiliency and Caregiving with Janet Fanaki

Journalist Richard Engel on Parenting a Child with Rett Syndrome

Gavin McHugh is Building an Acting Career and a Community with Cerebral Palsy

We want to hear from you!

Have a question or want to hear a topic featured on the Brain & Life Podcast?

· Record a voicemail at 612-928-6206

· Email us at [email protected]

Social Media:

Guests: Jessica Patay @wearebravetogether; Dr. De Los Reyes @nationwidekids

Hosts: Dr. Daniel Correa @neurodrcorrea; Dr. Katy Peters @KatyPetersMDPhD

Next Episode

Veteran Lindsay Gutierrez is Reaching New Heights with Traumatic Brain Injury

In this episode of the Brain & Life podcast, veteran Lindsay Gutierrez joins co-host Dr. Daniel Correa. Lindsay shares about how she went from sustaining a traumatic brain injury (TBI) on duty to climbing Mount Kilimanjaro! She explains how her injury happened, what her recovery process was like, mental health symptoms she experienced, and how she came to climb the fourth-highest peak in the world. Dr. Correa is then joined by Dr. Michael Jaffee, a board-certified neurologist, director of the University of Florida Brain Injury, Rehabilitation and Neuroresilience Center, and chair of the UF Department of Neurology. Dr. Jaffee breaks down the distinct types of TBIs, how patients are affected, and what preventative measures are being worked on.

Additional Resources

A Veteran Climbs Mount Kilimanjaro after a Traumatic Brain Injury

What Is Traumatic Brain Injury?

How Sports Neurologists Protect Football Players’ Brains

After Traumatic Brain Injury, a Veteran Finds Purpose in Advocacy

Other Brain & Life Episodes on this Topic

Advocacy and Athleticism with the Pittsburgh Steeler’s Cam Heyward

U.S. Soccer Legend Briana Scurry on Concussion and Mental Health

Healing the Traumatized Brain with Dr. Sandeep Vaishnavi

We want to hear from you!

Have a question or want to hear a topic featured on the Brain & Life Podcast?

· Record a voicemail at 612-928-6206