An unexpected journey - Bianca and Maria Venuti
The life of both Maria Venuti and her daughter Bianca changed in an instant late in 2016 when Maria suffered a major stroke. Not only is Bianca sharing their journey, she has also followed in her mother’s footsteps by signing up as an Ambassador for the Stroke Foundation’s major public health check campaign – Australia’s Biggest Blood Pressure Check We spoke with Bianca about her new role with the Stroke Foundation.
Tell us about your experience of stroke.
A bit over six months ago my amazing mum Maria Venuti had a major haemorrhagic stroke resulting in significant bleeding in her brain. Even though mum had experienced brief periods of high blood pressure in the past, it was very unexpected and such a huge shock.
It was one of those mornings where I just thought I would pop in and see Mum and she rang me in a panic. Talking with her on the phone, I could hear in her voice how distressed she was and within five minutes she was unconscious. The ambulance was called and I think in the back of my mind I was hoping it wasn’t a stroke, but realistically I knew it could be. And then all of a sudden I was thinking- well I hope it isn’t a bad stroke - and of course it was one of the worst kinds. It quickly became all about survival.
How did your life change in that moment?
We were definitely not prepared for the way it has turned our lives upside down. It’s now been six months, and her recovery and rehab has been a slow process. Mum now needs round-the-clock care and is undergoing a long and challenging rehabilitation process . She is making great progress though and I’m so proud of how far she has come. Luckily, she still is that beautiful vibrant soul Australia knows so well - I think if she had lost that spark in her personality, it would have been even more challenging.
How is Maria handling her rehabilitation?
Her spirit is still there, which is the important thing, but it’s a challenge, because she loves to talk and sing, and these are things she can’t do that well at the moment. Everyone loves her, even if they don’t know her from the entertainment world. She is fun, she is caring, and she loves being looked after. She definitely has moments where she is frustrated and sad, and I can’t imagine how hard it would be for her. But she also has beautiful moments where she is laughing, and has lovely friends from all around the world visit, and overall she definitely has the same personality, and thank god for that.
How do you keep your Mum motivated in her rehabilitation?
(laughing) We have a star system. It’s like back in primary school! For every milestone achieved, she gets a gold star to celebrate – like when she got out of intensive care, the first time she said a word, the first time she could speak my name, when she got to come home from hospital. There’s still plenty more gold stars ahead so we just celebrate each win on this journey.
It’s caused a big change in your life too hasn’t it?
Taking care of Mum is now a huge part of my everyday life and I know there are so many Australians going through the same journey. It’s still very difficult, but things are getting better every week. You need people to support you and you need to support each other. I feel blessed and indebted for the amount of support we have had. Mum is indeed very loved.
Mum and I are a family of two. She is my best friend, I am her best friend. Post the stroke, I feel very blessed and comforted to be able to spend every day with my wonderful mum although it can be really challenging
Maria has been an Ambassador for the Stroke Foundation – did you ever expect to follow in those footsteps?
Well certainly not under these circumstances, but by supporting Australia’s Biggest Blood Pressure Check, I hope I can help people understand how important it is to manage the risks associated with high blood pressure. I know for me, I am making it a priority to keep my blood pressure under control. It’s such an easy and quick check.
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