Denise Jonas is opening up about a serious health scare that changed her life, according to Us Weekly.
The 59-year-old, who is the mother of Kevin Jonas, Joe Jonas, former “Voice” coach Nick Jonas, and Franklin Jonas, revealed she recently suffered a stroke that impacted several key functions.
Denise Opens Up About the Stroke
“It was what you call a basal ganglia [because] it was in the basal ganglia area of my brain, which affected my cognitive thinking, my speech [and] reasoning,” Denise shared in a preview of the “Got It From My Momma” podcast. “At certain times I would have difficulty with my speech.”
She went on to describe how the effects still show up in everyday life.
“If I’m tired or hungry, I can fumble my words around and not think of the right words,” she explained. “Sometimes I can’t remember if it’s this or that, and I really can’t.”
Before receiving her diagnosis, Denise said she experienced warning signs she didn’t immediately recognize.
“I didn’t realize it,” she admitted. “I was at home [and] the symptoms that I had were that my blood pressure had been high. I had gone to three different doctors over the course of six months prior … and I woke up feeling like my arms are weird. It’s terrible, but it’s the only way I can describe it.”
One symptom in particular stood out to her later.
“I woke up with the hiccups,” she said, noting that she has since learned it can be an overlooked warning sign in women. “You won’t hear about it, but when I Googled it, it was the first thing that came up.”
She also recalled a frightening moment when her body didn’t respond the way she expected. “I was trying to get a glass of water and the movement wouldn’t happen. I was telling my hand, but my hand wasn’t listening to my brain.”
Denise Talked About the Recovery Process
Despite the severity of the experience, Denise has found a surprising sense of perspective.
“Although I had this health scare, I always say it was probably the best thing that happened to me,” she said. “I feel like it was a gift … from the Lord. I don’t think most people say that about something but it caused me to really be still.”
The recovery process has also changed how she approaches daily life.
“[Doing things with my family is] the challenge now too. I don’t do things, really. It’s harder now to be in the moment and spontaneous,” she shared.
Still, she says she has gained something important. “Thankfully I know my body and I understand what things I should and shouldn’t do. I know how to say ‘no’ because I never really knew how to say [it] before.”
Through it all, Denise’s story is one of awareness, adjustment, and resilience.
