PORTLAND, Maine (NEWS CENTER) -- A Portland mom accomplished a milestone in her recovery for a stroke she suffered at the end of May.
Valerie King suffered a dissection to her internal carotid artery. A blood clot formed and traveled to her brain.
"Little things are hard. Everyday things are hard," said King. "I couldn't go into the bathroom unsupervised because I couldn't get there. "It's like starting over. It's like learning all the basic things again."
King began physical and occupational therapy. Still, because of impacts to her vision, King can no longer drive, but wanted to maintain her independence. Wednesday, she learned how to ride the Greater Portland Metro Bus for the first time.
Her therapists say Valerie's recovery has been impressive and quick -- hitting major milestones in her treatment in less than seven months. Some patients never regain some of these functions.
You can follow Valerie's journey on Facebook. Her husband, Brian has been documenting her progress.
Valerie said her goal is to learn to take the bus to the beach with her daughter, and to run the Mother's Day 5K.