Faith helped me to find my strength

I was at work the day of my stroke (15/7/2022). My stress levels were heightened, as we had several people away and I was managing the extra workload.

I was sitting at my desk when the stroke happened. I began to experience some reoccurring dizzy spells. They would hit me and then disappear as suddenly as they hit.

On the second dizzy spell I called my wife and our Receptionist to let them both know what was happening. A colleague heard my call to our Receptionist and knew something was very wrong.

I began to show the F.A.S.T signs of stroke. I lost sensation on my left side; I couldn't lift my arm and I slumped off my chair onto the floor.

My workmates lifted me up, bundled me into a car and drove me to Busselton Hospital.

I had a CT scan straight away. On the second assessment of the CT scan, they found a clot and the next thing I knew I was having a conversation with a neurologist in Perth through the Telestroke service.

The neurologist talked to me about what was happening in my brain. He told me that clot busting drugs (tPA) was a possibility, as I was in the golden hour for treatment. I asked him, "What would you do if you were me?"

His answer was, "if you were my brother, I would want you to have tPA." So, I did.

Following 6 weeks of intensive physiotherapy and occupational therapy in Fiona Stanley Hospital, I could walk 30 meters unassisted and was discharged. I credit my recovery to quick treatment, to my level of fitness before my stroke and to my Christian faith.

Every step of the way my treatment was exemplary, and I can't thank the team at Bunbury High Care and Fiona Stanley Rehabilitation Hospital enough for their care.

I understand that many people don't get the level of specialised support that I did, especially in regional Australia.

My walking is still not where I want it to be, but, although slow, my improvements are steady, and I can visualize a day when my rehabilitation will be complete.

Anxiety has been a challenge; but my Christian faith has helped immensely. For me, it is a great source of comfort. I have learned to get help where you can, you can't be an island. Reading other people's experiences and talking with other survivors of stroke has really helped. We can learn from each other's experiences, even though our journey is our own.