Trapped In Her Own Body: Donna’s TIA Story

By Christian Millman

The frightening experience of having a transient ischemic attack made Donna James slow down and be kinder to herself.

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As the president of a large division of a national insurance and investment company, Donna James of Santa Rosa Beach, Florida, had a satisfying career, a beautiful home, and a loving family. In 2005, at age 47, she was named one of the Top 75 Most Powerful African-Americans in Corporate America by Black Enterprise magazine. Life was good.

One day upon returning home from an exhausting business trip, she climbed into bed for a few hours’ sleep. When she woke, the room seemed to be swimming. She tried to get up, but slipped to the floor, unable to move or speak. “It was a very surreal experience,” she says. “You’re trapped in your own body.”

Her husband found her minutes later and called 911. Donna had experienced a transient ischemic attack, commonly called a TIA or mini stroke. TIA symptoms usually disappear within a day, as Donna’s did, but they put a person at risk for a full-blown stroke in the future.

“That caused me to stop and think about my life and ask, What else do I need to do to stay healthy?” Donna says. “The answer became clear. As much as I loved what I was doing, I needed to live better.”

That meant less stress, fewer hurried restaurant meals, and more physical activity. It took her a year to transition to a new life: She retired from her job and they moved to a slower-paced community. She began serving on the corporate boards of three large companies. She started a nonprofit organization that assists pregnant teens. “It’s good stuff, stuff that’s important to me personally,” she says. “It’s the best thing that could have happened to me in the worst kind of way.”