Katie Castle

On the 16th October 1995 I had a stroke. I was 6 years old. My mum found me collapsed, with one side of my face already dropped. I was rushed to the local hospital, where I had tests and then quickly transferred by emergency ambulance to Great Ormond Street Hospital in London.

I was diagnosed with a stroke caused by a clot on the right side of my brain. I had completely lost the use of my left side, I was in and out of consciousness and my mother was told I would never walk again. I spent two weeks in hospital and left in a wheelchair.

My recovery wasn't easy, and it still isn't to this day. I had a term away from school and returned in a wheelchair. I eventfully learnt to walk and talk again, but my life would never be the same.

People have always said it's ok because I've never known any different.  It was never ok.  I missed so much and every little thing was and is a struggle. The thing I struggled with most was peoples’ attitudes. Kids are mean and growing up being different was hard. Adults aren't much better. Even now I feel embarrassed when I get stares walking down the street, or when people challenge my use of a disabled parking space.

Anyway enough about the bad stuff: I made it! Well, I'm making it….!

That day was nearly 22 years ago. Here I am;

I'm 27, I can walk (albeit painfully),

I can drive an adapted car,

I went to school and university where I got a degree in occupational therapy.

Last year, I got married and I already have two beautiful children (Jacob is nearly 3 and Amélie is 3 months), so life is pretty crazy but we get by!

By no means am I a Paralympic athlete but there's not much I've set out to achieve that I haven't been able to.

I will always be eternally grateful to those who saved my life back then. And to those who never let me believe anything is impossible. Without knowing it, they help me keep going every day. My mum, my husband, my friends and my children.

I once read that people who have strokes have 1 in 3 possible outcomes - complete recovery, some form of disability or death. Every time I kiss my kids goodnight I'm thankful that I had the middle outcome. I'm lucky that I can live my life by the abilities I do have and not by the ones that I don't.

Sabine Oppenlander - Carer

He survived his stroke, Gary, my partner. Theoretically he should have died. So they keep telling him. They made mistakes along the way, he already had two TIAs and they didn't care for him properly, just discharged him from hospital, so when he had the massive stroke they just shrugged their shoulders. They said he would never be able to walk again or use his arm and hand, yet here he is, walking, albeit with a stick and only 10 steps at a time before he collapses and has to sit down. Unfortunately the epilepsy got the better of him after a year and he declined but he managed to pick himself up again. Then the depression came - side effect of the epilepsy drugs. That is counteracted with Fluoxetine. They want to put him back on Gabapentin but the paracetamol tabs and ibuprofen gel is doing the trick for now. That and CBD oil. So now I want to take him back home, my home that is. Because my family offers us all the support and care we don't get from his. And I bet he will recover even more and at least be able to walk without a stick. In 5 years time. Maybe.

Different Strokes helped us by just being there. Having a group where one can vent one's sadness but also tell about one's happiness is a great help and although Gary isn't "using" your group as such, I tell him what is said and what great advice and support we receive from you and the members. Which makes him more confident and lets him know that he is not alone, that there are people who are in the same situation and who care. 

Julia Fisher

We arrived in Santorini and felt like it was paradise. A much needed break in the face of a year of relentless stress including husband's heart op, caring for my lovely mum who has dementia, sister in law very ill with cancer and worst of all my husband's brother violently murdered in his own home. You get the picture - we sorely needed this down time.

So, on the first night we enjoyed a beautiful meal on the edge of the sea, and joined in with some Greek dancing - perfect evening and we began to slowly unwind.

We got up early the next day (26/5/16) to go on a boat trip - so down to grab an early breakfast. About to leave the room I suddenly felt really sick - mouth watering - so I ducked into the toilet and tried to retch but it passed. Odd. I didn't mention it to Trev (my husband) and cracked on, breakfast and boat trip beckoned! So we left the room, Trev several steps behind me. I made it down two marble staircases and the walk the length of the swimming pool when I collapsed to the ground, fell down 3 steps spraining my right ankle and grazing my neck and ear quite badly.

A sea of helping hands got me up and into a chair. Trev thought I'd died - he said my eyes were totally glazed and nobody home.

Whilst I felt disconnected I was strangely calm and acutely aware of everything going on and what people were saying. I could hear an emergency Dr had been called. I could hear Trev's anxiety. A lady who was assisting waved her hands in front of my eyes - even staring into my eyes and I just thought 'I wish she'd go away'. It was a very odd feeling. Then I thought I should tell Trev I'm ok - I could hear how worried he was. So I went to whisper to him. To say 'I'm alright' and to my horror what came out of my mouth was complete gobbledegook. So I had expressive aphasia. I knew enough about it to realise I must have at best had a TIA and at worst a stroke. Then I did feel fear.

My speech was still flawed but had returned when the Dr showed up. He checked me over. I choked on the water I was passed initially (another indicator of stroke) but then swallowed ok. He decided I had concussion from when I hit my head. I lifted my arms, I stood without problem.

I told him about the aphasia but he stayed with his concussion diagnosis as I had no other external symptoms of stroke.

The next 40 hours we were in shock. I daren't speak as I was getting words wrong. We stumbled around trying to believe the concussion diagnosis and to continue with the holiday!

Then I told Trev I knew I had to get home to get proper help. We both knew 'something' had occurred.

He moved heaven and earth to get us a flight. Trev had left his car in Birmingham and we'd flown from there. The only flights we could get back were to Newcastle the night of 28/5/16, so I googled how much aspirin I should take, swallowed it and hoped for the best. It was surreal and very frightening. We got to Loughborough in a taxi chucked the cases through the door at home, got into my car and went directly to A&E.

To be met by total disbelief firstly from the intake nurse 'so why do you think you've had a stroke, you look fine to me'. And then a few hours later the same conversation with the doctor!

He almost sent me home untreated - but we stuck to our guns and insisted that the expressive aphasia was not normal. And whilst it had improved massively I still 'wasn't myself'.

So he reluctantly sent me for a CT scan.

By this time Trev and I were beginning to wonder if we had wasted everyone's time and I was mentally ready to be sent home.

The Dr rushed in looking visibly shocked. His words were 'I have bad news, you've suffered a major stroke. Left side infarct. A Mid Cerebral Vascular Accident (cva)' So I was packed off to the stroke unit for a couple of days. In total shock.

I'm 60, a non-drinker, non-smoker. Take no tablets and have no diagnosed ailments. Exercise a lot. Low blood pressure and pulse. How could this have happened to me? I didn't understand.

Because I suffer bad migraines and had no indicators for stroke, I was sent for a bubble echo and found to have a PFO (Patent Foramen Ovale) - a hole in the heart which is present in 25% of the population and can allow blood to travel from heart to brain bypassing filtration of the lungs. It's a funny thing, but I felt relieved with the diagnosis - yes it was a problem but it provided me with a reason - an explanation!

I'm seeing my stroke consultant this week and he's arranged for me to see a cardiologist to discuss whether to close the hole. Interestingly I've had 3 unexplained funny turns which in hindsight I think could have been TIAs. The first when I was 31.

I'm a really positive person and refuse to be defined by it. Since the stroke I've worked on brain training apps on my phone and Trev asks me questions using the game Articulate to help my word retrieval and cognitive processing. I've ramped up my fitness incorporating aqua aerobics in addition to the gym and long dog walks. I am going to start using wii fit to help my balance to try to feel more centred/stable when I've worked out how to use it!

So that is my story. Ironically I have 2 photos here that were taken on 25th May 2016 evening, the night before the stroke. The one at the pool shows me relaxing on a sun bed overlooking where I walked then fell as you reach the right of the photo the following day. The other one shows me happy and relaxed. What a difference a few hours can make!

Caroline Myers

Those with peripheral vision who miss half of our food on plate.. Sussed it! 😁 just cooked my Sunday lunch used new plates. Saw everything. Happy lady only taken 6 years to suss 😛😵 square plates.

Derek Baker

I had my stroke 14 years ago, it happened during a medical procedure. The help and support given, initially to my wife was great. Often the partner of the stroke survivor is forgotten. The was someone to help her help me, and that I believe made the difference. 

My daughter has done a couple of fun runs and raised funds. At the time I was a coach for a boys football team (under 12s) my son organised a football match at his school and raised about £50 from the kids donation. 

Different Strokes made a big difference to the forgotten survivors of a stroke, the family, it's nice to know its not just you, you're not the only one it happens to others. Thank you for being there.

Donna Richardson

At 35 I was the creative director of Ralph Lauren Europe and at the top of my game. Married to a wonderful man and with a great career, the next thing to do was have a baby. I left work to go on maternity leave and at the end of my pregnancy developed a condition called preeclampsia, still I was told that preeclampsia was cured once you gave birth so four weeks later I gave birth to a wonderful baby boy and I couldn't be happier. 

Five weeks later I developed a pain in my neck and a terrible headache. Putting this down to the tiredness and stress of caring for a baby I didn't worry too much until one day I found myself unable to find the words for what I was trying to say and could not remember my cats names. I laughed it off and it went away but a few days later I found myself fallen out of bed unable to get up, terrified of the light coming in through the curtains. 

My husband called an ambulance and causing quite a scene on my street with 3 ambulances, 2 police cars and a helicopter I was carted off to hospital and put into an induced coma. I was in a coma for 10 days and after coming round was convinced I was fine because my brain could only recognise the right. The left being completely paralysed and suffering from Hemispatial neglect I couldn't understand what all the fuss was about and told the doctors all I needed was a hot bath, cup of tea and a kit kat! I realised the problem when I tried to get up and walk to the toilet, I couldn't!  

After 101 days in hospital I came home still in a wheelchair but able to talk eat and drink and very keen to take care of my baby. After another month or so I was up on my feet with the aid of a walking stick. No movement in my left arm or hand unfortunately but quickly learnt how to do most things one handed and most importantly back home with my husband and son. 

After such a devastating shock to our new family we reevaluate our lives and decided to leave our London jobs behind and start a new life in Devon where we met whilst at university. Our son is now five and has just finished his first year at primary school. 

Unable to return to work yet due to seizures caused by the stroke and severe fatigue I couldn't just sit at home doing nothing so I decided to fulfill a long held dream and begin a part - time masters degree in photography at Plymouth university. I have just passed my first year and with another year to go I am very excited to be taking my photography forward to a new and exciting place! 

Although I still have some difficulties as a result of my stroke I am very happy to be here and feeling positive about the future.

Glen Dawson

I was at work in July 2014 when my whole vision went grey. I couldn't see for about 10-15 seconds. When my vision returned I felt like my head had been punched several times by Mike Tyson.

After 2 days and many trips to the doctors having being diagnosed with a bad migraine. I was finally sent to the hospital. They cat scanned me and found nothing.

After about a week I noticed that I had a blind spot in my vision. Again after several trips to the doctors they referred me back to the hospital where I was eventually seen by a specialist who recommended a mri scan.

After a few weeks went passed a letter came through the post to say that the scan had come back as normal. This is now oct 2014. Fast forward to Feb 2016 where again I was at work when I had a seizure.

I ended up in Addenbrooke's hospital in Cambridge who cat scanned me again to find that I had had a stroke. BUT the specialist this time told me that the stroke was up to 2 years old and that the seizure was a direct result of the stroke.

I have had a 24 hour heart monitor. Echocardiogram and cat scan with the colourful liquid they pump in and found nothing really wrong. I am on anti seizure, blood thinning and cholesterol tablets. I have lost my driving license for 12 months.

I am now awaiting to go back into Addenbrooke's on Friday 13th to have a bubble echo and a scan of the heart from the inside where I believe I will swallow a probe. Nice.

But I am very lucky. I have no visible signs of stroke.