my story

The reason I am writing a blog is because I had a stroke on the 10th of February 2014. I woke up unable to move my left side. I am 20 years old.  There may be typo’s and spelling errors, this is because I can only use my right arm/hand at the moment. I am finding it hard to think, I get tired easily and I can’t remember much of the beginning stages.  This I am told is normal.

I have since learned that the  type of stroke I had is a right middle cerebral artery infarct(an infarct is a blockage of a blood vessel).  I want to raise awareness of strokes in young people. I’ve since learned that there are possible reasons for my stroke, not lifestyle reasons but because I have an underlying condition that can cause blood clotting, this is called nephrotic syndrome, which I’ve had since I was a baby. 

The stroke has left me with many emotional and physical effects.  Whilst I have been in hospital, I have been unable to find any blogs that talk about the everyday, and this made me feel isolated.  I’m hoping to be able to diarise my rehabilitation, so that this may make people better understand the journey, hopefully you will find it helpful reading about my experience.

One of the first things my consultant told me was that recovering from a stroke is like training for a marathon… 

I Need Sugar

I remember turning  in my bed on the second day on the acute ward.  I was strapped to machines, I was upset and didn't really understand where I was, I knew I needed sugar.  I was thirsty, and saw that on the board above my bed it said Nil by mouth.  I am since told that I wasn't able to eat anything until they had done a ‘swallow test’.  It is common for people who have strokes to lose their ability to swallow.  Swallowing problems affect over a third of people after a stroke. When a person cannot swallow properly, food and drink may get into the windpipe possibly the lungs, which can lead to chest infections and worst pneumonia.  

Eventually they realised I could eat, and I had spaghetti and meatballs, Luke said I was eating as fast  as I could, my mouth was drooping on one side, this is also common when you have had a stroke, but don’t worry it can get better, my mum said it helped that people made me laugh.

I find myself eating a lot more than I used to, its normal apparently.  I have to think of the food as feeding my brain.  The doctor told me that people recovering from strokes need more food than athletes.  I am using more calories thinking and motivating myself.  Most days people bring me in food, I snack all the time on Jaffa Cakes.

Will I be normal again?

I have asked my mum the same question everyday since it happened.  I could tell she was sick of it.  All I dreamt about was to have my own arm working and me walking.  The things people take for granted, all I wanted was to feel complete.  I missed being able to to hug and put my hair up, to eat properly and grab things.

Valentines Day

So here I was in hospital, having promised Luke a present and a Nando’s!  I couldn't move, I could hardly stay awake, and I felt depressed.  He turned up late that evening holding a bunch of roses and a bag, my face lit up and I gave him a one armed hug and smiled.  He wheeled me down the hospital corridor in my wheelchair(my only freedom at moment), to pick up our pizza.  This was my best day at that point, I had only just had the stroke and it cheered me up.