Patricia shares her stroke story

It is eight months since the day I woke up and found I could not move, hold anything, speak, or think straight.

Fortunately, I remembered the alarm button I wore on my wrist and pressed it as hard as I could.

"Are you all right Pat?" said the girl in the Abervale office, and I was able to manage "No, come quick!".

Karen did come quick and found me on the floor, unable to move, so she called the ambulance and they came quickly also, getting me into Geelong Hospital where I received treatment.

I couldn't move my arms, or my hands. My legs were stiff and my speech was slurred. I was afraid, lost and concerned, and everything had to be done for me.

After a week, I was sent by ambulance to get further treatment at McKellar Place.

By this time the stroke had taken over, for my mind was mixed up, I could not remember where I was and I did not know what was going on.

My family came to visit me and they celebrated my 89th birthday, but I have no memory of their visit or the birthday cake they brought.

The doctor came to visit me. He told me I had experienced a stroke and would not be able to drive my car any more and more likely would not be able to walk again.

That rocked me a little and I told him in no uncertain tones "I want to walk".

He just quietly told me, "Oh you can always try".

And try I did!

So my brain was starting to work again.

Quite some time after the stroke the physiotherapist came to visit me.

After an examination she informed me that my legs were weak but she would help me strengthen them. So she did, for after several weeks the physiotherapist counted 55 steps walking on my own.

Three months after the stroke, I was sent to Estia Health in Grovedale.

Once again the physiotherapist came to see me and asked if I could walk.

"Yes," I told her, and she asked me to show her.

I grabbed the handles of my walker and walked six steps toward her.

She helped me with my walking and exercising until one day I was able to walk quite a distance to Lonsdale(a house at Estia) - and I think it made an impression on the physiotherapist.

I was asked to have further health checks (x-rays for cancer etc). The specialist I saw could not find anything wrong with me and told me to continue doing what I was doing.

I told him about my drawing and painting, and he told me to keep it up as it could stop another stroke.

I have continued painting, exercising and walking and Estia Health sisters and staff assist me greatly.

Apart from watercolour paintings, I write stories and email my friends; I listen to others who want to tell their stories and am glad of the assistance from our minister and church family.

My own family have been a great strength for me.

A friend has offered to take me with him when walking his dog and that helps me to exercise my legs.

So I keep moving and talking, writing and helping others when I can. It might just help to beat the stroke.

WANT to know more about stroke - strokefoundation.org.au