Peter Brown

Hi Pooky,

You shoud know me from other posts. My stroke was fairly close to yours, 26th August 1999. I had an arterial clot at the back of the cerebellum, bilateral in that it affected both sides of the brain, infarcted meaning a piece of my brain died (removed in an operation)all this complicated with a haemorhage between the cerebellum and brain stem.

I was on life support for 10 days, the first five in a coma. I was quadrapelegic for 4 weeks, no talking because of a trachea. I was moved to a rehabilitation hospital for intensive therapy. I walked out 5 weeks later without aid of any sort and no known memory of speech problems. The biggest problem was diplopia (double vision). This cleared naturally over a period of 7 months and lots of eye exercises.

I regained my driving licence 8 months after the stroke. I returned to work part time at 9 hours per week over 3 days in mid February and at present I am at 30 hours per week over 4 days. My job is as a network specialist in data communications.

All this when I was only expected to be a vegetable if I survived.(ie I should have physical defects as well as memory and speech problems)

A lot of hard work and a positive attitude that never says die. An acceptance that I could not undo what has happened, but if I want to be a part of today and tomorrow it is up to me. As the saying says, no use crying over spilt milk.

I wish you the best in your recovery, don't ever give up trying. If you don't try you will not improve.

Peter

PS: post op I had a large DVT left leg and a pulmony embolism (blood clot in the lung) and I am claiming a 100% recovery.