My life as a stroke survivor

I suffered a stroke in 2012, and it changed my life. In the early stages of the brain healing I suffered extreme fatigue and the use of my left side. I had to learn how to walk again, and I tried to get the use of my left arm back.

• I have feeling and some movement in the left arm, I walk with a limp. I struggle daily with fatigue and left side weakness.

• I require home help, who do my cleaning and other tasks, such as help with sewing the parts where two hands are needed., and work on my blog and write articles for other platforms and developing my name/self as a brand.

• I also need help chopping vegetables as well as opening cans without the flip top, which I use my teeth to open.

• When I have long hair I require help putting it up into a ponytail or plait (I have recently just shaved my head which makes life a lot easier).

• When my home help comes, they also need to clip my bra at the back into place, as well as putting on tights, which is a mission pulling up, therefore needing assistance after going to the toilet, I need help to pull them back up.

• I need help walking down stars because I don’t feel stable, thinking that I will trip or fall. Going upstairs is better for me, as long as there is a rail to support me or the person that I am with.

• Sitting on the floor is a struggle, and then getting back up takes effort, at times it takes a few goes, and other times a fall hard, but get back up.