"My Stroke"

I recently had a stroke that changed my life for the better.

It was a beautiful sunny Saturday afternoon and I was having a bite to eat and a few cold beers with My best friend of 40 years, after a country walk in Rowarth in the county of Derbyshire.

I was stood rolling what was to be my last ever cigarette, I had been a smoker for 40 years, addiction is a terrible thing that a great many smokers are aware of but struggle to give up completely.      

All of a sudden without warning I felt as though my left leg was not there anymore such an unusual sensation for a split second?

I quickly put it down to slight muscle cramp as the feeling of normality returned to my leg.

As I was driving my car back home with my friend a very frightening experience took place, my left arm and left leg were slowly losing sensation and movement, I felt as though they were seizing up and so I pulled the car over to the side of the road and instinctively told my friend I think I am having a stroke please drive me to hospital.

I was quickly diagnosed at Stepping Hill hospital in Stockport of having suffered a (hemorrhagic stroke) and I felt so much regret and sadness as my wife sat next to me weeping.

From the first sensation stood rolling a cigarette to receiving treatment in the hyper acute stroke unit it was no more than 90 minutes, speed is the key when it comes to getting medical care.

After 5 days of the best care I have ever received in my life at Stepping Hill hospital I was in an ambulance on my way to Tameside hospital.

I was wheeled on a hospital stretcher from the ambulance to a place I shall never forget for many positive reasons - Ward 45,  stroke rehabilitation unit, was going to be my home of treatment, progressive recovery for the next 5 weeks.

I was now literally in the hands of complete strangers, all employees of the Great British NHS, doctors, nurses, neurologists, consultants, physiotherapists and occupational therapists, a team of hard working, compassionate professional individuals that all played their role in my recovery to walk again. 

I told myself to set my sights and goals high because I was determined to make a full recovery and so my journey of healing began.

In retrospect I feel very lucky that I was were I needed to be in order to get my self back on track over the duration of time spent in Ward 45, Tameside hospital, my effort working with the stroke rehabilitation team was being rewarded day by day as gradually the movement in my left arm and left leg began to return.

I recall being in a bed for days unable to move my left arm and leg but the human brain has a natural way of mending itself by what is known in the medical sphere as that magic phenomenon, brain Plasticity, the ability for the brain to reroute pathways for the nerves to travel to enable the movement of different parts of the body affected by a stroke.

I listened to every instruction spoken to me by every member of the Ward 45 team and put in the effort on a daily basis to the point at which I took my first steps with the aid of a walking stick.

I was so emotional when I was led back to my ward bed by Kai, an excellent physiotherapist, after taking my first assisted walk after 3 weeks, I could not hold back the tears of joy.

As time went by I was able to do basic exercises repeatedly, each day went by and I knew I was doing well but I put a little more effort into my movements, every day seeing the results of having an amazing rehab team by my side.

I had my birthday in Ward 45 and celebrated with some of the staff that lifted my spirits every time I saw them helping and nursing all of the patients, I could see these employees were special people by the way they talked to each patient and cared for them never complaining and always putting in 100% effort and dedication.

It was my discharge day and I sat upright on my bed laughing and joking with the other patients and some nurses waiting for my ambulance journey home.

Even after being discharged I was receiving aftercare, taking weekly visits to The Stamford Unit to have physiotherapy with Katherine, and then having home physio visits from Sophie a team member of the neuro community team.

I cannot thank the NHS enough for getting me back onto my feet being able to walk again and I know as I sit in my home telling you the readers of my story, all of those NHS employees are busy at work now caring for the patients that have suffered the effects of having a stroke, the same way they cared for me.

I am about to collect a puppy Bassett Hound next weekend and I shall be proudly taking her on many walks thanks to the staff of the NHS.

Thankyou to each and everyone of you.