What is one of your greatest achievements since your stroke?

Brenda: My greatest achievement was when I had the opportunity to be the stroke survivor consumer on the 2010 Stroke Foundation National guidelines Working party and Post Stroke fatigue was formally included in the guidelines, Yay! Fatigue is a big issue that has a huge impact.

Suzanne: My biggest achievement is to walk again. Not giving up.

Beth: I was back at work 2 months after stroke, couldn’t drive as had lost vision, vision almost normal now and am back behind the wheel ! Still suffer fatigue and struggle to get the message to the feet when putting undies on ! But am so happy to be alive!

Di: My dad had a significant bleed stroke two years ago, my mum just had a frontal lobe clot stroke which the hospital had her whilst having trouble talking and communicating and discharged her as dehydrated and exhausted despite our voiced concerns re stroke 🙁as a supporter of stroke affected people my biggest achievement is to try and help them find strategies and feel valued, independent and loved whilst we strive for a new normal for all of us.

Paul: Taking my first running shuffle down the hospital corridor 2 weeks after the stroke.

A keen hiker before my stroke, after my stroke I had to learn how to cross the road. And now thanks to the help from lots of people especially my family I have now returned to a normal gym and walked 25 km with my bushwalking group with aid of walking poles 

Hi, I had my stroke 16 years ago this October & had 3 months in rehab. My 1st main achievement was doing my 1st complete lap around the ward without assistance. I was cheered by patients & staff. Julie 

Good question Di, haven't thought about this for a while. I think the answer moves with time. 

If you'd asked me in the first few years post-stroke the answer was easy and would've been 'completing a four day bushwalk a year after being discharged from hospital.' Huge effort with her reward.

As I mature and my relationship with living with a stroke matures the greatest achievement isn't singular, I can't point to one thing and say 'that's the apex.'

I think my greatest achievement is that stroke wins the odd battle but, coming up on 14 years, I continue to win the war. I have a rich, full, interesting life, I've raised a kid, I have lots of friends in spite of stroke and I've used stroke to my advantage to enhance that she make me a better person. That's friggin' hard,  that's a massive achievement,  that's my pole star. 

Greatest achievement? Live the life I want, not the one stroke tries to elbow in on.

Thanks for making me think.

Ade

I have a much better relationship with myself!
it's been a long way!
The road to recovery is continuous work, without relent, but always giving the body time to settle down.
I believe in our capacity for self-healing and in the strength of our mind to take us forward.

It is with great satisfaction to me that I am completing a training to become a yoga teacher and thus be able to contribute with  my experience and  help other survivors on their journey.

Namasté!

My greatest achievement since my stroke in 2016- there have been many memorable milestones in my rehab journey so it is difficult to identify one- but if forced, it would be -Learning To Walk Again.

The act of walking is something we learn as infants and if we have to re-educate ourselves, we can only marvel at the intricate processes which we take for granted in the act of walking.

Four months of in hospital rehab and I achieved a personal objective of on my discharge I was able to walk out of the hospital unaided and in my business suit [see picture],I was determinized to leave dressed like this  as a celebration of what I had achieved.

It did not come easy- 000;s of Sit to Stands and in excess of 130,000 reps on the tilt machine- I lost the use of my right side as a result of the stroke. Thanks to some amazing  physcos-Laura, Simone, Fin and Ashton

Am I proud of my effort- damm right- today I in excess of 30,000 steps each day!!

I Think my greatest achievement islearning to ACCEPT the new me and focus on the positives.  Every day i used to wake up and think today im going to improve and dom the things I use to do , but would  despair as fatigue caused coordination, balance and cogniative issues. I just have to sleep,the more I fight the worse I get.  Its been nearly 10 years.

So now I accept my limitations and embrace what I can Do , Like"moving into dance " class I dance and exercise in a chair or on my walker. IM blessed  now because Ive had more time with my family and grand children. I also have a beautiful Cavilier dog to play with. Im so lucky.