I WILL SURVIVE

My wife and carer, Alison, is visiting Hull next week to see first hand the improvements to stroke care that strokewatch have battled for in the Hull area. This is an account of how I feel about Alison being away. In September

2001, I suffered my stroke, which has affected my left side leaving me unable to walk with confidence and unable to use my left arm. I well remember waking up in hospital a few days after the attack. The first person I saw at my side was my wife, Alison and she has been there ever since, never complaining, ever keen to look after me and my demands many of which no doubt seemed unreasonable but in the aftermath of stroke, many stroke survivors appear unreasonable to the less well informed. As my health improved in hospital, I made my first determined decision, I WILL SURVIVE, and this has been my motto since. I was discharged from hospital in May and my real recovery began. Like all stroke survivors, I had to learn how to adapt to my new condition but to date, I have learned to adapt and I am gaining in confidence every day.

Now, how will I cope with Alison being away? Simple, 'I WILL SURVIVE.' Do not the sheep survive without the shepherd? Do people cope with bereavement? Yes they do! It may not be easy, but I never believed that recovery from stroke was going to be easy, yet never doubted that I would recover but it is my battle! I appreciate Alison's help but unless I can start to measure my improvement, how am I to make progress. I can't and don't expect Alison to do everything for me forever more. I need to battle to independence. Besides, improving stroke provision in West Cumbria needs Alison as well.

It is a worthwhile cause to which Alison is committed and this visit to Hull will help her campaign. It will also give her a much-needed break from her daily routines here. Will I miss her? I don't need to answer that; I miss her when she goes out shopping, but 'I WILL SURVIVE'. Alison and stroke care in West Cumbria will benefit so much from her visit to Hull where she will meet wonderful people like Brian and Pat Archibald and their Stroke watch colleagues and other people involved in stroke care. So go for it Al, I will be thinking about you every second but what is a couple of days compared to the rest of our lives. I don't intend to get sloppy. I have no doubt that Alison will be well looked after in Hull and I know I WILL SURVIVE and I'll be waiting for her with a hot cup of tea and a cuddle when she returns.

John Hunter
(Stroke survivor)