In January 2013 I took early retirement after working 37 years in the NHS not thinking that in 6 months I would be back in the NHS but as an inpatient after I was admitted as a stroke case.I had undiagnosed hypertension and had a haemorrhagic stroke-not a clot but a little bleeder! The stroke was in the left part of my brain which affected my right arm and leg, I ve lost sensation on my right side to this day.After 10 weeks in Morriston and Singleton Hospitals I was discharged and then the really hard part of rehab began.
Each stroke is different-affecting right or left sides, possibly your speech, movement, cognition, sight, emotions, mental health and so on and what works for one person may not work for another -there’s no “one size fits all”. All I’m going to do is share with you what I did-somethings worked, others I got badly wrong!
The underlying cause of my stroke was high blood pressure,I was worried that I might have another stroke so I changed parts of my life style to reduce the risk-got my weight down through exercise ,improved my diet, drank responsibly and the blood pressure came down( and I wasn’t too miserable).Actually its quite a laugh at the gym where we have lots of banter ,strictly no lycra, its a good social occasion, and we get a bit of exercise too!
As you press on with your rehab you inevitably get good days and bad days.Go easy on yourself,listen to your body, sometimes it just isn’t working so take a day off and come back stronger and more determined next time. There’s no crime in having a day off .Rest and plenty of sleep are equally important to help healing during stroke recovery.
Accept offers of help-my pride and stubbornness led me to decline offers of help, I thought I could do it all, what a big mistake I made there.I said I was determined, my daughters said I was like a pig headed mule, and they were probably right, but you didn’t hear that from me! For example ,now I do get assistance when travelling,it has enabled me to use the train service to stay with friends and family around the UK and go on holiday to various resorts in Europe using the help at airports. I even accept the occasional lift as well.
As time goes by progress seems less easy to identify and this can be a bit dispiriting, sometimes its called reaching a plateau .I was advised to keep a diary or journal celebrating each success, each new initiative I started etc.Its amazing how things add up over time, how you can look back at what you did a year or two ago and see how far you have come. If you’ re are bit down you get a boost to appreciate how far you have grown in your life. Results come over time not overnight. Be patient but persevere ,and isn’t it sweet when you prove people wrong.
Unfortunately in 2016 my wife died suddenly and it was like being on square 1 again ,the one thing I promised myself was every time I had a setback I was to brush myself down and start all over again if necessary. My daughters have been very supportive but I have had to realign chunks of my life to compensate for the loss of Hazel. Its been a case of trying to ensure that there’s a purpose and structure to my life .I love listening to music of all types and can find music to suit my mood and this is a superb form of relaxation and satisfaction to me.
It’s a big asset having the chance to go to the NPTSG each week. It provides a safe environment where stroke survivors, their family and carers can meet, where they can talk freely about their condition or concerns, where they can pool their collective knowledge and expertise, where they can support each other in finding a meaningful life after stroke. It’s a resource greatly valued by its membership who are supported by a very hard working committee and volunteers.
Being part of the group gives you access to a great set of friends and a wide range of different events, social, educational, recreational; which other group would you find on the agenda samba drumming, designing pottery mugs, carving pumpkins, choir singing, petting cockroaches, directing films to name a few? I’m glad I found the Group, long may it flourish! Huw Williams
