Peter’s story

What happened?

I remember it quite well, I was driving down to Cabra to the shops and was talking to my wife Catherine on the car phone. Suddenly she started asking me was I okay, she became quite frantic, as I was making no sense with my answers. I didn’t realise just then that the words coming out of my mouth were garbled.

Both my parents had strokes and I was there when it happened both of them so it began to dawn on me what was happening.

I could understand everything my wife was saying at the time but my efforts to speak to her coherently required like a nearly superhuman effort. I pulled the car over as soon as I realised something was wrong. As I became a little bit more self aware, I began to feel my legs and arms and started to move them as I was afraid I might have paralysis on one side, like my parents did. Thankfully I didn’t, at this stage all that was affected was my ability to talk. My wife had an idea where I was and she came down to me as quickly as she could. She drove me straight to the Mater Hospital. I’d say within two hours from the stroke happening, I was given an injection in my abdomen, I presume to break up a clot and admitted to hospital.

To be honest, there is nothing I would’ve done differently. I think I was one of the lucky ones, whatever good fortune was out there there that day I got it, apart from the stroke.

Biggest challenge

My biggest challenge is the fatigue. It was unbelievable, I’ve never experienced anything like it before. Also my physical body felt shell shocked, my legs didn’t seem to have the same strength.

I found myself struggling for words a lot and I would get a little bit frustrated when I couldn’t express myself the way I wanted to. My speech has since then come back.

I suffer from rheumatoid arthritis in my feet, my hips and God knows where else. I started going to the gym and started walking in the pool every day for an hour to an hour and a half and getting on the bike for thirty minutes. I changed my diet, I lost 11kgs so far and I’m still not finished. I gave up alcohol completely, don’t even miss it.

Living well

I go to the gym every day and I gave up alcohol as I was out of work for thirteen months. When the enormous fatigue abated a little bit I started looking after my garden, I have always been a keen gardener. I haven’t been able to get back into reading books so now I listen to audiobooks whenever I’m doing something. Also believe it or not I’m trying to learn Irish, surprised how much I remember. I think it’s good for my brain.

Stroke advice

I guess the most helpful advice, which I didn’t really listen to was to take your time to get back to normal. I wanted to get back to work as soon as possible, I wasn’t fit for work. I realise now it took me over a year to get back to work and though I’m back I’d say I’m about 90%, I will get to 100%. My advice take your time, tune into your body and listen to it.

StrokeLINK service

I found the service brilliant, they called to the house, explained everything to the family, showed you how to take your blood pressure, keep health records, gave you positive vibes. You felt your life wasn’t over, you felt there was still a future, you weren’t abandoned and somebody cared about you. I’m lucky I had a wife and family, but for anyone on their own it’s a life saver.

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