I’m new here and thought it was time to say hello. I had a haemorrhagic stroke - caused by high blood pressureback in March, and I’ve spent most of the rest of the year in hospital getting through the acute phase and the long, sometimes frustrating business of recovery. I’m 42 (41 at the time of my stroke)and live in Salford, Greater Manchester.
It’s taken me a while to feel ready to engage with others about what happened. Like many of you, I suspect, I’ve had moments of shock, confusion, progress, setbacks, and a lot of thinking time. Now that I’m in a more stable place, I feel ready to connect with people who truly understand what this experience is like in ways friends and family, however supportive, sometimes can’t.
I was genuinely living my best life and this stroke really has robbed so much from me, my home, my independence, my dignity, use of my left arm, my ability to walk (although I cannot thank enoughthe staff of the NHS ( particularly the stroke rehab unit at Salford royal) and the intermediate neuro unit at Trafford General where I was discharged from last monthand the superb physios at the brain and spinal injury centre in salford (B.A.S.I.Cs)
Hello and welcome to the group. I spent quite a lot of time working out how to write in. I hope you will soon feel you can engage with the group. You will find fellow travellers when you feel ready.
Welcome! Sorry to hear about your stroke and at such a young age too. My husband had the same type of stroke Nov 24 and to be honest we are both still coming to terms with it. His was also caused by very high blood pressure.
He was very active, horse riding, motorbike riding, still working, walking miles etc and now all he can do is watch TV! He cannot use his dominant right hand at all and his right leg is badly affected. There are lots of other problems but I won’t bore you.
Are there any stroke groups near you? My husband goes to a gym once a week to try and keep mobile. I wish there was more support for people who have had major strokes but we hear nothing anymore and feel abandoned. I hope you are still getting physio.
It is entirely your choice how much or little you post on here and there will be others who you can connect with and who can relate to you and your story.
In reading your post it seems to me you are doing really well in coming to terms with life after stroke which is very pleasing as it makes it so much easier to try and lead as good a life as you can.
Welcome to the community, I’m sorry to hear about your stroke and the difficulties you’ve had to face this past year.
As others have said this community is here for you to use as little or as much as you would like. There is a wealth of knowledge here from people who have been through similar, should you need it.
Wishing you well with your continued recovery. If you need any thing whilst you’re using the Online Community, please don’t hesitate to tag me using the @ symbol and my username.
Well done Llionionx for engaging with us all here - your presence is appreciated we all help and enhance each other’s knowledge amd your post is a big part of that now.
It’s important you mention the psychological impact i dont think this is discussed enough. It’s an understatement to say it’s been a shock i think it goes deeper than that but the shock and fear does ease and personally ive been very grateful for the words and wisdom of others on this group. It’s an area I’d like to start a new thread on but I need to think about it first - please anyone wants to kick it off please do I’ll take forever!
Please continue to engage as and when u can. And welcome to the community.
@Lionzionx hi & welcome to the community. Sorry you’ve had cause to join us but hopefully you’ll find it a useful place to be. We are quite a friendly bunch who have all been where you are.
Every feeling you describe is relatively common place after a stroke. I was slightly older than you (still in my 40s) when I had my stroke & to say it was a shock would be an understatement.
Your life will start to return to more “normality” in time. Stroke recovery is a long road but one worth travelling.
Hi @Lionzionx sorry to hear of your stroke at such a young age. I can see you have already received a good response to your first post so I won’t repeat everything but just wanted to jump on and welcome.
I also suffered a hemorrhagic stroke 8 years ago (aged 57), also caused by high blood pressure that I didn’t know I had. My stroke paralysed my left side and at the time I thought my life was over and although my life is very different, it is still good. We regularly eat out and socialise with friends and family and have travelled to Spain on a number of occasions. I walk with a stick outdoors and can potter about with no stick at home.
If I had known how much I would achieve, things would have been very different in the early days.
I just wanted to say don’t lose hope and never give up.
