Paul

Paul's Story

“Three years ago, life was beginning to look hopeful, my 14 year old son was nearing the end of 8 months chemo for bone cancer.

It started with a headache, I had set off to collect the car to take my family home from the hospital. To get to our car I had to go up lots of stairs, by the time that I had completed the stairs and got to the car my head felt like it was exploding. I got into the car and drove round to the front of the children’s hospital, which is only about half a mile away.

I managed to reverse the car into a parking space, get out of the car and then I found myself going down on my hands and knees, I started to be sick. Luckily someone found me and then my wife, who took me into A&E. When we got there the vessels in the back of my head burst and I collapsed.

After a couple of days hallucinations and absolute nightmares. I came around, I was on the stroke ward. I was then transferred to another hospital due to catchment area and physio started, we worked on sit to stand and bike and then one day they got me to walk a few steps, I wept a river, couldn’t stop myself.

They let me home early as the depression and being on the ward was becoming too much, I got 5 weeks of physio and then was left to fend for myself. Different Strokes was recommended to me by a physio, she actually badgered me into it.

To any stroke survivors in those early days, I would say stop fighting your demons and give in.

You have to do this to be able to get strong again I am walking and driving again now and the hand and arm are progressing well. But, I am here and life isn’t so bad."