Awakening from a stroke - the breathtaking story of a healing. Helene Wesendahl does not understand what is happening to her: she finds herself in a hospital, unable to control her body, speechless, with gaps in her memory. Her journey back to life confronts her with a stranger, who was once herself. Kathrin Schmidt captivates her readers this time through limitation, quite literally. Through the eyes of her awakening heroine, we look into a hospital room, at other patients, the nursing staff, and her own body, which suddenly seems to have a life of its own. We witness the arduous rehabilitation efforts, the reactions of her family, the selfless dedication of her husband - and the fragmented return of her memories. What emerges confronts Helene with a life in which she can hardly recognize herself, raising many questions.