A thank you letter to Laura King
August 04, 2014
My name is Nicole Christodoulou. I am a 21 year old stroke survivor that had spent most of my time at Bankstown Hospital in Sydney.
On Thursday the 13th of March at 4:00am, I was admitted into Bankstown Hospital with numbness and weakness on my left side, a drooping mouth and slurred speech. The following day I was transferred to Royal Prince Alfred Hospital because of an infection on my heart valve, known as endocarditis.
The stroke affected my left frontal lobe and right middle cerebral artery. I was transferred back to Bankstown Hospital into the stroke ward to begin my rehabilitation. I was discharged from hospital on the 22nd of May.
It has come to my attention that my physiotherapist, Laura King, was nominated and is now a finalist in the Stroke Care Champion category.
I am writing to tell you how much Laura deserves this award. She made my time in hospital so bearable. She taught me how to stand up, how to walk, how to hold and drink from a cup, how to use cutlery, how to comb my hair, and even how to run. She got me so much stronger. I told her one day that I have not combed my hair by myself yet and that my mum still combs it for me, and so she said to me to take my hair brush with me to the physiotherapy gym and she would show me how to do it, and that’s what happened. She was so very patient with me. I have had some episodes of muscle spasms and jerking while I was in hospital and Laura would always sit with me and tell me to relax and that everything would be alright. I felt a sense of security when I was around her, a sense of protection.
Laura had so much belief in me. I went to put on my transfer belt one day and she said to me that I didn’t need to wear it when I was with her. Another day I was going onto the treadmill and she said to me that I didn’t need to use the harness anymore. Eventually she told me that I was allowed to walk to the bathroom and back on my own (with the IV antibiotics). She even got me running on the treadmill.
Laura had so much belief in me that made me feel like there was nothing stopping me from recovering fully. That belief gave me so much motivation to do better and keeps me strong even now that I am at home. I want to make her proud. On most Fridays before she went home she would come to my room and have a chat with me or we would go to the hospitals coffee shop and have a hot chocolate. It felt like I had a friend to talk to. She would stay back at work for me. I appreciate this so much. I felt quite anxious and scared when anyone would mention the word ‘discharge’ to me, but Laura didn’t discharge me until she helped me realise that I was becoming more and more normal.
I felt unsafe and scared to step out into the real world because I knew that everything would be different. Laura was there to reassure me that everything would be alright, and if I needed anything I know where to find her. Laura was the one to tell me about my discharge date and I accepted that because I knew that if she was saying it then there is nothing to be scared of. I see the changes Laura has not only done to me, but also all of her other patients in the physiotherapy gym – she makes miracles happen.
I don’t think anyone will ever understand how much I appreciate even the little things Laura has done for me and continues to do for me as my recovery continues each and every day. I really hope The National Stroke Foundation realise how much of an impact Laura has not only on me, but all her patients at Bankstown Hospital. I cannot thank her enough for getting me to where I am now. All of her hard work, passion and dedication need to be acknowledged. I am so thankful that she was and still is a part of my stroke recovery journey and I am so glad that this opportunity came along for her. She is the most deserving person. Please acknowledge Laura and her hard work. I don’t know where I would be without her.
On Thursday the 13th of March at 4:00am, I was admitted into Bankstown Hospital with numbness and weakness on my left side, a drooping mouth and slurred speech. The following day I was transferred to Royal Prince Alfred Hospital because of an infection on my heart valve, known as endocarditis.
The stroke affected my left frontal lobe and right middle cerebral artery. I was transferred back to Bankstown Hospital into the stroke ward to begin my rehabilitation. I was discharged from hospital on the 22nd of May.
It has come to my attention that my physiotherapist, Laura King, was nominated and is now a finalist in the Stroke Care Champion category.
I am writing to tell you how much Laura deserves this award. She made my time in hospital so bearable. She taught me how to stand up, how to walk, how to hold and drink from a cup, how to use cutlery, how to comb my hair, and even how to run. She got me so much stronger. I told her one day that I have not combed my hair by myself yet and that my mum still combs it for me, and so she said to me to take my hair brush with me to the physiotherapy gym and she would show me how to do it, and that’s what happened. She was so very patient with me. I have had some episodes of muscle spasms and jerking while I was in hospital and Laura would always sit with me and tell me to relax and that everything would be alright. I felt a sense of security when I was around her, a sense of protection.
Laura had so much belief in me. I went to put on my transfer belt one day and she said to me that I didn’t need to wear it when I was with her. Another day I was going onto the treadmill and she said to me that I didn’t need to use the harness anymore. Eventually she told me that I was allowed to walk to the bathroom and back on my own (with the IV antibiotics). She even got me running on the treadmill.
Laura had so much belief in me that made me feel like there was nothing stopping me from recovering fully. That belief gave me so much motivation to do better and keeps me strong even now that I am at home. I want to make her proud. On most Fridays before she went home she would come to my room and have a chat with me or we would go to the hospitals coffee shop and have a hot chocolate. It felt like I had a friend to talk to. She would stay back at work for me. I appreciate this so much. I felt quite anxious and scared when anyone would mention the word ‘discharge’ to me, but Laura didn’t discharge me until she helped me realise that I was becoming more and more normal.
I felt unsafe and scared to step out into the real world because I knew that everything would be different. Laura was there to reassure me that everything would be alright, and if I needed anything I know where to find her. Laura was the one to tell me about my discharge date and I accepted that because I knew that if she was saying it then there is nothing to be scared of. I see the changes Laura has not only done to me, but also all of her other patients in the physiotherapy gym – she makes miracles happen.
I don’t think anyone will ever understand how much I appreciate even the little things Laura has done for me and continues to do for me as my recovery continues each and every day. I really hope The National Stroke Foundation realise how much of an impact Laura has not only on me, but all her patients at Bankstown Hospital. I cannot thank her enough for getting me to where I am now. All of her hard work, passion and dedication need to be acknowledged. I am so thankful that she was and still is a part of my stroke recovery journey and I am so glad that this opportunity came along for her. She is the most deserving person. Please acknowledge Laura and her hard work. I don’t know where I would be without her.