My Stroke Recovery - 5 years Later
5 years ago today (16 July 2026), a thunderclap headache marked the beginning of my descent into the underworld. After 2 weeks in a coma, I awoke unable to speak, due to a tracheostomy, to find that my family had been denied access for the duration of my time in hospital (due to the covid restrictions in place at the time).
Let me say that what happened during the time in coma and afterwards was not pleasant, because as everyone should know, where there is thunder, there is lightning. That lightning had split my head asunder, taking bone with it. It's mark is still present today, 5 years later.
The experience of stroke is very difficult to describe, it is like trying to explain green to a blind person. As with the different shades of green, there are also different shades of stroke. They are all green, yet they all present a fundamental question for those who experience it.
That question being, "Will you lay down and die, or will you get up and fight?"
I chose to fight, and 5 years later, I still fight every day. In the Fight Against Stroke Tyranny, the prisoners are those who are trapped within bodies that no longer respond as they should or those with chains that shackle the mind, leeching confidence and their sense of self. Stroke is never pleasant, and should never be underestimated. I say to you who know green, "Break Free", work hard and never stop your journey to recovery. Be the best you can be, take that extra little step every single day and never stop fighting. Fundamentally, stroke is change and how a person deals with change, will influence the journey to recovery. Note well, recovery is not about getting back to how you were, it is about growth and development. It is about accepting the "new you", the person that has experienced the trauma of a stroke and survived. It is an opportunity for growth and learning. Inspire the others that follow. Set a path and pursue it with passion. Celebrate the milestones and learn from the negatives.
After 5 years, the best piece of advice I can give is to find your community. For me, it is parkrun. There is healing power in the phrase - Parkwalk, Parktalk, Parkfun, Parkrun. A great way to meet people and build community is to volunteer or to chat to others during a walk/run. Parkrun is more than a 5k walk/run, it is a journey like stroke recovery. Not every walk/run is a PB (Personal Best Time), it is about dedication and perseverance. Sometimes, it is about helping others or them helping you to complete a simple goal, such as completing the distance non-stop.
To celebrate my 100th parkrun after stroke milestone, I made a note of it on my milestone shirt. The great thing about this is that it is a conversation starter, something that has helped raise the awareness of stroke, and for some, it is inspirational. A milestone like this is just an example of how you can make a recovery goal - S.M.A.R.T (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic & Timely). For me, one of my current recovery goals is to complete 73 more finishes or 7 volunteers to reach my next milestone.
One of the things that I love most about when I go running is that I always like to finish F.A.S.T - promoting the signs of stroke through action. Some people get it, some people don't, some take a while but that's life. Yes, life. I am thankful that I survived because 1 in 6 of us don't. So saviour life while you have it, don't let fear hold you back.
Here are some Tolkien quotes that can help on your journey.
- ‘All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us’ – Gandalf
- ‘Not all those who wander are lost’ – Bilbo
- ‘Faithless is he that says farewell when the road darkens’ – Gimli
Thank you and best wishes on your journey. Here's hoping for another 5 or more.
PS. On my 2nd anniversary I did 5km at Run Melbourne, this year, I am doing 10km for my 5th.
So if you are attending, please remember to Finish F.A.S.T !
