Having been pretty healthy and fit for most of my life, having a stroke at age 41 was a shock. I woke up in the middle of the night with an awful headache and found that I couldn't move the right side of my body. Worse, when I tried to sit up I just toppled over. Alison called an ambulance which rushed me to hospital and by the time I got there I had worked out that I'd had a stroke.

I was in hospital for a month during which I was subjected to a barrage of tests, none of which were able to explain why I'd had a stroke. Movement gradually returned but I was very weak, particularly my right side, I had very little sense of balance and I had (and still have) double vision caused by loss of control of the muscles around my right eye. I also suffered vertigo attacks which gradually faded away and neuropathic pain which didn't. By the time I left hospital, I could shuffle around using a zimmer frame but my 90 year old grandmother could have beaten me in a race.

I had 6 months of physio and occupational therapy which helped me to learn to walk again from scratch. I pushed myself as much as I felt able as this seemed to be the best way to make progress. At first the challenges were small - I remember that the first time we walked to our local indian restaurant it took over half an hour to walk the 250 yards or so. Gradually the challenges got bigger, as you can see from some of the articles on this site. It wasn't just about going back to my old hobbies but about trying all sorts of different things, like going back to work, going to ballroom dancing classes, that helped me to improve. I'm sure that it was determination and stubbornness that drove my recovery, helped by so many people along the way.

I find it strange to think that going back to work was an important step in my recovery. I have always aimed to work so that I could earn enough to make the most of the time when I'm not working. But going back to work gave a structure to my time, made me feel that I was getting back to normal life and gave me some mental challenges to go along with the physical ones.

It's very difficult to know what to say to anyone else in a similar position. But determination and a positive attitude can make an enormous difference. As in my case, a full recovery might not be possible. You can't undo what's done but you can enjoy life by taking on the challenges and making the most of what you've got.

Finally I must thank Alison, my wife, who did so much to help me recover and still does so much in the background to make sure that I have the energy to go out and do the things that we want to do.