Interview Section : Healthtalkonline

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An introduction to stroke

What happened? The first few days after a stroke :
The event: A stroke or transient ischaemic attack
Getting medical help
Getting a diagnosis
Early care experiences

What problems did I have, and why? :
Changes to movement
Changes in sensations
Changes to vision
Continence and cathererisation
Eating and drinking
Speech and communication
Thinking, understanding, memory and fatigue
Emotional Impact of stroke

Why me? Why now? Reducing risk of another stroke? :
Causes and risk factors
Medication to prevent another stroke
Surgery
Preventing another stroke: Changes in life style

What happens now? Rehabilitation & care :
Stroke recovery: daily activities and personal care
Stroke recovery: physical aspects and mobility
Stroke recovery: communication disorders
Leaving hospital

Life after stroke. What is the long-term like? :
Major disability
When stroke is coupled with other health problems
When stroke happens at a young age
Coping strategies and resilience
Continuing care at home and institutional care
Driving and transport
What's important in care
Social support
Support from patients and support groups
Sex life and impact on relationships
Messages to others
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Stroke

People's stories

Age 21-45

Interview 49

Interview 49

Age at Interview: 34
Sex: Female
Background: Is single with no children. She is a secretary but has not worked since her stroke. Ethnic background/nationality: White/Australian/English.

Brief outline:She had a stroke due a clot caused by a hereditary clotting disorder age 29, which caused aphasia, right paralysis and epilepsy. Medication: lipitor (cholesterol), warfarin (anticoagulant), tegretol, epilim (epilepsy), baclofen (spasms in arm).

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She has problems with her speech and with daily activities which limit her life and can make her sad but she no longer gets very emotional.
Print How about you? It's a huge thing to happen. How, how has it affected you emotionally? [Sighs] I wish that had a stroke, I didn't, yeah… Sometimes tough and, you know, crying all the time but, you know… one year or, you know, that a stroke in, in Ireland, why me? You know, why? What's wrong with, you know, the voice, you know? And… Yeah. But other than that… carried on. Mm hmm. Sometimes sad with, you know… why, you know, out of work, you know, socialising, you know, and I'm tired. Exhausting because, you know getting up, shower takes time, you know. Deodorant [laughs]. All, you know.

She explains that she has to limit the amount of green leafy vegetables that she eats as they can interfere with the warfarin.
Print How about when you started eating again? Did you have special food at all? Broccoli, can't eat it and pak choi because can't eat it because the vegetables for warfarin. Oh right. Yeah. So spinach. I love spinach. I love broccoli and I love pak choi but a tiny bit, you know, all of it doesn't matter a little bit but every day, that's no, no. Yeah. Because it interferes with the warfarin? Yeah. Yeah.

She would have liked more help with reading because she wanted to be able to read more than children's books.
Print Have you had any help with the reading at all? …No but speech… yes. Can you tell me about that? The… in Australia… see, I can't… yeah, I can't, this is too hard this book, this, yeah, but… I could read that one or the, like, like that or this, this one. But in the… So you can read words but you can't read sentences, is that the problem? Sentences. Read. Yes. Read. Yeah. But have you had any help specifically for your reading? Yeah. Yeah. Would you like to get more help with that? Yes [laughs] please… but on the waiting list, you know, the, because… you know. And books, baby books, I don't like that… The. Is that what you were given? Yeah. And you didn't like that. Yeah. What would you like instead? What would be helpful? Like normal books… Like, you know, newspapers, Herald or… Yeah.

Likes meeting other people with aphasia at Connect meetings and found lots of people she meets there have aphasia.
Print Tell me what you do when you go to the meetings? A coffee… Well the, I had juice because I, I can't Fanta and lemonade, ugghh, a stroke is strange, I don't know but anyway. Chatting and conversation. “Ah hello, hello” and, because [one of the men] is a lively one… so upstairs and the group divide… and talk about, you know, books or film or, you know, literature, you know. You know, the Queen, you know. So, and all of us in the circle is and then… and coming altogether and… running up, you know, the… I can't say it, you know the but, anyway. Is it helpful to meet other people that have the same experience as you? Yes. Exactly the same as me. Aphasia. One side of my body, well, the different other side of the body but I didn't know because Australia only 2 or 3 got it but… lots of people had a, aphasia on the right side, yeah. So it was helpful to meet other people? Yes. Finally, finally. And numbers, you know, I can't add up, you know. Different. Yes. Finally. This is it. Connect [laughs].

Live life and smile a lot and be happy.
Print Live life and smile a lot… and… be happy.

Finds it helpful to meet other people with aphasia at Connect meetings and found lots of other people have aphasia through attending.
Print What, tell me what you do when you go to the meetings? A coffee. Well the, I had juice because I can't Fanta and lemonade, ugghh, a stroke is strange, I don't know but anyway. Chatting and conversation. “Ah hello, hello” and, because [one of the men] is a lively one… so upstairs and the group divide… and talk about, you know, books or film or, you know, literature, you know. You know, the Queen, you know. So, and all of us in the circle is and then… and coming altogether and… running up, you know, the… I can't say it, you know the but, anyway. Is it helpful to meet other people that have the same experience as you? Yes. Exactly the same as me. Aphasia. One side of my body, well, the different other side of the body but I didn't know because Australia only 2 or 3 got it but… lots of people had aphasia on the right side, yeah. So it was helpful to meet other people? Yes. Finally, finally. And numbers, you know, I can't add up, you know. Different. Yes. Finally. This is it. Connect [laughs].

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