Danielle

I had a spinal stroke on 21st August 2014, while she was nine weeks pregnant. And was in intensive care in an induced coma for 12 days and paralysed from the neck down. I had to learn to move again but, slowly walked out of hospital four weeks later. My little girl Isla May is now ten months old.

I woke up in the morning to go to work at 6am, but had a pain in back of neck and thought I was getting a cold. That day I had to go to Rochdale for work in my role as an area manager for Farm Foods - my manager told to stay off work but I drove to Rochdale and had pins and needles in hand.

Driving to the next shop after my first stop, I still didn’t feel well and my boss told to go and work from home. I stopped off at the walk in centre and as I was nine weeks pregnant, the nurse took my blood pressure and checked my blood sugar levels etc. She told me to go home and get some rest but said everything looked fine.

I got into bed when I got home, then about 15 minutes later, got up to go to the toilet and felt wobbly. I called my husband Tom, who was working a little while away so my mum came round instead. When she arrived, I went to get dressed so we could go to hospital but I couldn’t get out of bed and so my mum rang an ambulance.

I don’t remember what happened next but went to hospital where Tom also joined us. At first, doctors thought it was meningitis. They took me for x rays and tests. I said I couldn’t breathe, but as I was already on oxygen, they had to put me in intensive care in an induced coma. They did MRI scans but didn’t know if my spinal cord was inflamed or if there was a clot.

I was treated with steroids for three days to get the inflammation down but three days later everything was still the same. Doctors then knew it was a clot and they could see it on the scan. Four days later, I was still in an induced coma and they did another scan – the clot was still the same. They took me to theatre to put in a tracheostomy so they could wake up and could see how much I could move and what I could do. I woke up on the Saturday and was in intensive care for another week afterwards.

Each day my movement came back slowly so they knew the clot hadn’t grown. Luckily everything was also ok with the baby. My right hand started moving straight away – doctors were amazed how quick my movement was coming back.

By Sunday I’d been awake for eight days and went to HDU. I thought my legs were strong as been moving them while I was in bed but when I went to walk, I collapsed after one step. I was in HDU for three nights and then moved onto the stroke ward. It was my worst nightmare as it was full of older stroke survivors. Tom and I celebrated our second wedding anniversary while I was in hospital!

I was moved to Clatterbridge Rehabilitation Centre where I spent just three nights before going home, and once discharged I had had physio every day for six weeks. A friend also took me swimming each night as I wanted to get back to normal for my pregnancy. I was 13 weeks into pregnancy when came home.

I’m still working on my physio – I still have weakness in my left leg but it is improving. My leg can drag when I’m tired and I trip up more now. I do a lot myself but Tom and my mum help a lot with baby Isla.

I’ve now applied to go to uni in September to become a children’s nurse. I now also do voluntary work in Arrow Park supporting people on the dementia ward.

When I had Isla, I had to have a planned caesarean, however my waters actually broke the day before I was due to have the operation!

I do need more help than if hadn’t had the stroke – I do get tired so mum has Isla two nights a week, as Tom works 10am-8pm.

I’m not back at work yet – off until 11th April.

I want people to know that it can happen to someone of any age. I used to go to gym five times a week before my stroke – it can happen to anyone.

Would like people to be positive about it and understand there is life after stroke. I genuinely believe your attitude affects your recovery. The hospital said I always had a smile on my face and I think my positive attitude made a huge difference to my recovery.

My stroke has actually changed me for the better – it has brought my family and friends closer together. I’ve changed my life and now want to do something more rewarding.