Sophie Stroke Story.

Until the day of my stroke, I had always considered myself as an active individual. You have to be, especially when you’re the mum of two boys.

I have no memory of what actually happened on the night when stroke struck.

My youngest son Nick, 21, found me unconscious on the kitchen floor. We don’t know how long I had been there. Nick, thankfully knew something was terribly wrong and called triple zero (000) immediately.

Days, weeks and months went by. During my recovery I was told I’d been in hospital for three months. My friends, who visited me, said I staples in my head, tubes coming out of me and repeated trips to the Intensive Care Unit. I don’t remember much of my time there, as I had only woken to drowsy moments of immobility.

I’m not sure what’s more terrifying, being told that you had died twice, or that you are never going to be the same again. It’s a difficult pill to swallow.

My independence was something I had always been proud of. Before my stroke, cooking dinner, cleaning the house and my part time job were all enjoyable. But after my stroke I was not able to perform basic tasks. It was a huge change. However, I think the most painful thing about all of it was that I couldn't be the mum I wanted to be for my children - not like the way I was before.

It’s been two and a half years since my stroke and my body has recovered to some extent. I can walk with a walker and have slowly grown a little stronger. People have told me I’m alive because I am a fighter and I’m strong, but to be honest, I think I my life was in God’s hands and it was by his decision that I am alive.

I'm a down to earth person and often say it like it is, but deep down I’m a real softy. I've always believed you should strive to be your true genuine self, and that you should help as many people you can in any way you can. My stroke has taken a lot away from me, but it hasn’t changed that.