It’s hard to believe that it’s been 7 years since my stroke. 7 years ago I was a happy-go-lucky 20 year old, just emerging into this big wide world. I had moved out of home with my boyfriend, bought a dog. I had a good job as a pharmacy assistant; I loved to be at work each day. Life was great. Little did I know, something life-changing was about to occur.
I had never heard of young people having strokes and yet, here I was, having a stroke. Not that I knew it at the time, I had no idea what was happening to me. I went to my local GP, who took one look at me and called for an ambulance. I spent a couple days on life support, a few days in intensive care and about a month in the brain injury ward at the Princess Alexandra hospital. That time in hospital was very hazy; I had bizarre dreams and I even had bizarre realities.
It was during that month that I lost all my speech. It was as if someone had switched off my voice box. Having someone feed me, wash me, wipe my bum for me, ate away at my self-confidence. I felt scared of leaving the hospital. I spent months and months in rehab, learning to walk with the physiotherapist, eat and talk again with my speech pathologist, and use my hands to care for myself with my occupational therapist. By the time I was ready to be discharged, I had become a shy little mouse. My friends were understanding, but they had their own lives to live. Gradually I felt I was an outsider.
One day, I saw an article in the paper, advertising for a stroke support group event, with a guest speaker from the Australian Aphasia Association (AAA). I gathered up all my courage and attended. Initially, I was scared by all the strangers in a room. But soon enough some people took me under their wing. Gradually my confidence increased. I started off just going to the social events, such as the picnics and the Christmas parties. Surrounding myself with other people in a similar situation as myself, made me feel comfortable and made me want to contribute. I was asked to participate on the publicity committee and developed information packs for healthcare professionals. This involvement gave me a purpose in life so that I wasn’t just a stroke patient – I was a stroke survivor, getting back out there in the community. I even embarked on doing talks about aphasia. Now, I’ve lost count of how many presentations I’ve done, but I can say that I’ve enjoyed every single one of them.
My self-confidence has increased amazingly. I used to blush whenever someone spoke to me. Not because I thought they were good looking, but because I would have to speak to them. Now you can’t shut me up, thankfully my boyfriend enjoys listening to my voice.
After AAA, I started branching out more. I’m a leader for the group workshop called STEPS (Skills To Enable People and Communities program) for Acquired Brain Injuries Outreach Service (ABIOS). My most recent venture is being the “service advisor” and an “Otago coach” for a private mobile rehabilitation service, called “My Rehab Team”! I thoroughly enjoy sharing my experience as a past patient and calling up other patients after they have completed their face-to-face rehabilitation to encourage them to keep up with their progress.
Wherever I am now, I still remember the early days, the days when it was tough and I remember the friends who helped me and supported me to become the woman I am today.