I was 35, fit and healthy. I never imagined I could have a stroke

By Ashlee 

I was just 35 years old when I had my stroke. 

I had no medical history. I was fit, healthy and busy raising my five-year-old daughter with my husband on the Gold Coast. To this day, doctors still don't know exactly why it happened. 

Looking back, there was one clue. 

About a month before my stroke, I developed severe neck pain and a migraine. It was unusual for me, so I went to see a doctor. At the time, none of us knew it could have been a warning sign. 

Then, one morning in November 2024, my life changed forever. 

I woke up feeling incredibly nauseous. As I walked towards the bathroom, I became dizzy and collapsed. My husband wasn't home at the time, and I don't know how long I was losing consciousness. 

I couldn't call out for help because I'd lost my ability to speak, and my five-year-old daughter was still asleep in her bedroom. 

Eventually, my husband came home and found me collapsed on the bathroom floor. 

He called an ambulance immediately, and that decision saved my life. 

At hospital, doctors knew something was seriously wrong, but it took most of the day to discover the cause. 

I'd had a double vertebral artery dissection causing a brain stem stroke. Because the stroke was so low in my brain stem, it wasn't immediately obvious. 

Things deteriorated quickly. 

I was placed under heavy sedation, but every time doctors tried to wake me, I suffered seizures. 

Eventually, I developed locked-in syndrome. I could hear people around me. I knew what I wanted to say, but I couldn't move. 

I couldn't speak; I couldn't even lift a finger. 

The only way I could communicate was by using an iPad that tracked my eye movements. It was terrifying. 

My family was told to prepare for the worst. There was even discussion about whether I would need a permanent tracheostomy to help me breathe. But somehow, my body responded to the treatment - the blood-thinning medication worked. 

Later, my doctors told me that my age had probably helped; they said youth was on my side. 

Learning to live again 

I don't remember exactly when I first woke up, there are gaps in my memory, but I do remember my family always being there. 

They never left my side. 

The nurses had to do everything for me, they moved me in bed, I had a breathing tube, and I couldn't eat. 

I'd lost every bit of independence I had. 

One of the hardest parts was thinking about my daughter. I didn't want her to see me covered in tubes and unable to move, I wanted her to remember Mum - not the person lying in a hospital bed. 

About two months later, I was finally able to see her again, it was one of the happiest moments of my recovery. 

My family became my heroes 

Through everything, my husband and daughter never gave up on me, My husband was there every single day. If I was ever alone, it wasn't for long. 

My family always made sure someone was beside me, they became my strength when I couldn't find my own. 

Even now, my daughter amazes me; she's incredibly empathetic. 

She proudly tells people that her mum had "a blood clot" and understands that sometimes I need extra help. For someone so young, she has shown such incredible compassion. 

Five months after my stroke, I was discharged from hospital; it felt miraculous. I was still learning how to speak, still learning how to hold my head up. Everything had to be relearned. 

Recovery hasn't stopped 

Today, I still have weakness down my right side and only limited use of my right hand. I receive Botox treatment to manage severe spasticity, and every day I continue working to improve my movement and independence. 

Some days are harder than others, but I remind myself just how far I've come. 

There was a time when my family were told I might not survive. 

Now I'm here. 

Why I'm sharing my story 

Before my stroke, I never thought someone like me could have one. 

I was young, healthy, and I had no medical history. I learned that stroke don't always happen to older people - it can happen to anyone. 

My story could have ended very differently. 

Instead, I'm here watching my daughter grow up, supported by the people who never left my side. 

My husband and my daughter are my heroes. 

They were there through every frightening moment, every setback and every small victory. I'm sharing my story because I want more people to know that stroke can happen at any age. 

If something doesn't feel right, don't ignore it. 

Act quickly. It could save a life. 

"There was a time when my family were told I wasn't going to make it. Today, I'm still here, still recovering, and so grateful for every moment I get with the people I love." 

If this story resonates with you and you have question, please call the team on StrokeLine 1800 787 653