I had a brain hemorrhage in Jan 2019 and not long after being discharged I attended a world stroke information event at Neath Port Talbot stroke group. I was in a wheelchair, had very poor speech, was very emotional and still struggling to come to terms with life post-stroke.
At the world stroke day information event, I first met Paul Thompson, Jason Haynes and Amanda Spendiff. Since that day I’ve attended the Neath Port Talbot stroke group most Wednesdays. The group has been amazing and an absolute necessity for a stroke survivor, providing us with different activities and talks every week, a chance to meet with other stroke survivors that understand the situation and what you’re going through, helping each other, sharing information and suggestions and making friends, talking and having fun!
All of this has helped me massively with accepting my stroke and giving me the confidence to try new things and meet new people. After the group helped me gain more confidence, I joined a local men’s health walking group, again meeting new people and talking. On September 1st about 3 and a half years after my stroke, I climbed Pen Y Fan and raised over £3000 for stroke survivors. Hopefully inspiring stroke survivors not to give up on the long journey in recovery. I was unable to walk or talk after my stroke and less than 4 years later, I’m walking into group unaided, climbed Pen Y Fan and have done interviews on TV, so don’t give up on yourself after a stroke, things CAN improve, you get out what you put in.
