The Morning That Changed Everything 

By Larissa

Six years ago, at 43, my life changed in an instant. I woke up around 5 a.m., ready to start my usual routine and hit the gym. But what happened next remains a mystery to me. Hours later, I found myself lying on my bedroom floor. I live alone, and at the time, I believed strokes only happened to older people. It never crossed my mind that I could be having one.

By sheer luck, my phone had fallen nearby, close enough for me to reach. At that moment, I didn’t realise anything was wrong. I wasn’t alarmed that I was face down on the floor, unable to move my right side. But for some reason, I knew I had to contact my workplace. With my left hand, I managed to grab my phone and call my colleague. I said something along the lines of, “I won’t be in, but I’ll see you tomorrow.”

That call saved my life.

My colleague immediately knew something was off. My speech, my tone - something wasn’t right. He contacted my manager, who wasn’t in the office that day, and urged him to call me too. When I didn’t sound any better, they escalated things to HR, who then reached out to my next of kin.

By this point, it was already after 11 a.m., and I was slipping in and out of sleep. Around midday, I heard a knock at my front door.

“This is the police. Are you at home?”

I didn’t answer.

They knocked again. No response. Finally, they called my phone. Somehow, I managed to answer. “I’ll be down shortly,” I told them, even though I couldn’t move.

Realising something was seriously wrong, the police broke in. When they reached me, their first assumption was that I had overdosed. Paramedics arrived shortly after and quickly assured them that wasn’t the case. From there, my life took a new, unexpected path.

The days, weeks, months, and years following my stroke were a journey of discovery, frustration, and resilience. My recovery wasn’t easy, and it’s still ongoing. In many ways, I’ve returned to a ‘normal’ life, I walk everywhere, train three times a week, work, study, and even have a dog.

But some challenges remain:

Aphasia - A major hurdle in the early months. I struggled to find simple words and had to work hard with a speech therapist to improve my communication. Now, most people don’t notice it, but I still do.
Mobility - While I can jog and run without issue, my limp is more noticeable when I walk. Regular personal training has been instrumental in improving my gait.
Fatigue - Initially, I slept constantly. Now, I balance full-time work, evening study, and an active social life. I still get tired, but it's manageable.
Hand Dominance - Naturally right-handed, I had to relearn how to write after my stroke affected my right side. Thankfully, as a digital producer, I mostly type, and my writing is now legible with either hand.

For the first six years after my stroke, I avoided telling new colleagues about my condition, fearing it might affect my career. That changed in October last year when I started a new role with a large super fund. This time, I was open about my disability. Not only that - I now lead a disability collective, working to normalise disability in the workplace, encourage fundraising, and develop communications to raise awareness around accessibility.

Despite it all, I’ve learned to adapt. Staying positive, committing to training and rehab, and embracing a quieter life have been crucial to my recovery. Every stroke survivor’s journey is different, but I am proof that if you keep pushing yourself, if you continue to challenge your limits - life is still good.