I have recorded some of my recovery to help others by Jacky Dean

Hello, I'm Jacky from Newcastle, I had my stroke 29th June 2018 never thought me being 45 years old woman would go to bed and wake up completely different.

I was 4 months post stroke on October 29, World Stroke day.

When I had my stroke, I couldn't walk and talk properly, but I have relearned much of what I had lost. I am still working hard on my right arm and hand and through practise I will get my mobility back.

I am emotionally raw but now I'm seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. I still have mental scarring and perhaps I always will. My life and my identity has changed. I am no longer working; my confidence is shot, and the trauma has changed me and my family. But as a survivor I will not live for the stroke, through hard work I will make this stroke live with me.

Now that 2018 is coming to an end I'm ripping that band aid off and looking forward to my everlasting love and happiness with my family and bring on a healthier new year.

I knew from the start that it was important to diarise my recovery and I have done so through video and photos, looking at how far I have come motivates me and I want to share this with others, perhaps it can help them too.

I still have rehab and OT once a week which I am so grateful for, and last week I started driving again which gave me back my independence.

My family is everything to me, my husband and children are my motivation, together we have remained positive and that has made a huge difference.

I was a stroke victim, now I am a survivor, nothing is more important to me than spreading the word about stroke and stroke recovery.