Unwavering support and belief in my abilities have been my greatest source of strength

By Kayleen

Imagine waking up one morning and feeling like something was going wrong in your body, but you’re too young to process it. This happened to me when I was a kid, and it changed my life in ways that I am still dealing with.

It was a normal morning. I was always an early riser, when I got up I felt weird. I tried to have a shower but couldn't and went back to bed, still wet. Dad came in to try and get me up. He joked around saying that he would give me a thousand needles if I didn’t get out of bed - I hated needles.

I began to fall in and out of consciousness, so my mum and sister took me to Tom Price hospital. I can’t imagine how scary it was for my parents; they were watching me crumble.

My stroke was caused by an arteriovenous malformation (AVM), it had made a blood clot and it burst, and this caused a stroke. To save the rest of my brain, a 5.5cm portion of my frontal lobe was removed, which still impacts me physically, cognitively and mentally.

After my stroke I couldn’t play sports or do activities with my friends, which as a child was everything. Emotionally, it was a rollercoaster of frustration, anger, and getting used to a new normal. School work was really, really, hard, and most of it I couldn’t do. But my parents kept me in class because it was important that I wasn’t isolated from my friends and that I continued with my life.

My therapy became my work. It was super intensive. I had to learn to walk again, relearn social cues, and deal with the cognitive impacts of my stroke, and that was just the beginning. Missing out on social events due to rehab isolated me, reshaped my friendships and social circles in ways I never expected. I had to adapt to not being the energetic, social and good friend that I had been – it was tough all around.

But time ticked by, and I settled into my new life. I grew up and am now a wife and mother of three beautiful boys. I still deal with the lasting effects of my stroke, I struggle daily with right-side weakness, cognitive overload, fatigue and seizures.

I think epilepsy is the hardest thing to manage now. Seizures can be debilitating, but I stay positive and as strong as I can be.

My family is amazing. I have a a team of people to support me and help our family. My husband is my soul mate, and we make one hell of a team. My three boys are growing up in a loving, supportive and compassionate family.

I have learned over the years to be open and ask for help when I need it. When you’re a busy mum you just get on with things and find workarounds for the activities that I find challenging. I am very grateful that throughout my life I have had people lend a hand. From my parents choosing not to wrap me in cotton wool, to teachers finding ways to support me at school, and health professionals who assisted me to set goals and achieve them.

Reflecting, I can’t stress enough the importance of treating children who have had strokes as normally as possible. Listening to their needs and aspirations, while providing the necessary support, can make a world of difference. My village did - and look at me!

I dedicate my story to my parents, my siblings, my husband and boys, the medical teams, educators, and the community of Tom Price who have stood by my side through every step of this journey. Your unwavering support and belief in my abilities have been my greatest source of strength.