Natasha Buller, marketing and communications manager at the Lawrence Chamber of Commerce, uses a portable heater to help counter the cold conditions of the building’s air-conditioning.

Lawrence resident Rex Gaumer came close to death after a stroke.He attributes his survival and recovery to the unconditional love and support of family and friends.

“A year ago, I’d describe myself as the strong, silent type who kept my emotions under control,” says chemical engineer Rex Gaumer, 56. “Now I talk a lot, even to complete strangers, and I’m easily overwhelmed by strong feelings. I was overcome by sadness watching the second half of (the movie) ‘Up.'”

These changes aren’t deliberate. He attributes them to the right-hemispheric stroke he suffered Oct. 15, 2008, shortly after attending his son’s high school orchestra concert.

“I remember walking slowly and having difficulty making sense of my surroundings, but my higher reasoning function was compromised,” he recalls. “I felt more like an observer to what was happening and didn’t realize the seriousness of my condition.”

Gaumer was taken to Lawrence Memorial Hospital and then flown to Kansas University Hospital’s intensive care unit. Complications from the stroke resulted in heart failure, liver and kidney damage, and pneumonia. Death seemed imminent.

Colleagues of his wife, Carol, a clinical project manager at LMH, gave her a copy of brain scientist Jill Bolte Taylor’s inspiring book “The Right Stroke.” Using some of the strategies Taylor utilized to recover from a left-brain stroke, Carol, sons Gregory and Jason, extended family and friends, continued to talk and read to Gaumer even though he appeared unresponsive. During a round-the-clock vigil, they encouraged him to use his healthier left brain to stimulate recovery in the injured right brain.

“I do have brief memories of people reading and talking to me,” he says. “But my sense of time was so warped I thought it was weeks between Carol’s visits even though she was there daily.”

After nearly four weeks of intensive care at KU Hospital, he made enough progress to be moved to LMH’s ICU. On his return to Lawrence, Gaumer, who received his doctorate in chemical engineering from KU in 1993, astonished everyone with his remarkable recovery.

“I consciously decided to approach my recovery as an adventure,” he says.

He set daily goals, worked intensely with a variety of therapists and medical staff, and constantly pushed himself beyond his limitations. Within six months, he was cleared for driving, returned to full-time work as a telephone engineer and walked unaided.

“I still have some left arm and leg weakness, my left hand gets stiff and awkward from relearning touch typing, and I’m still working on rebuilding my strength,” he says.

He still “encourages” both sides of his brain to make adjustments, and his continuing “adventure” includes taking writing classes at the Lawrence Arts Center.

Gaumer says the experience has strengthened his faith. He attributes his survival and recovery to the power of people’s prayer, love and support.

“In addition to the love and support I’ve received from family and friends, I received many random acts of kindness from complete strangers,” he says. “I hope I’ll be able to pass these kindnesses forward to other people who need help in the future. I also want to do whatever I can to encourage people to reduce stroke risk by monitoring their blood pressure, modifying diet and exercising regularly.”