Janet Allen

"HOWDY PARDNER"

Fancy a holiday with a difference? Why not a Wild West holiday? Instead of watching cowboy films on T.V. try for yourself? The location is a ranch in California. You can be as idle or enthusiastic as you wish. For those who have never ridden a horse experts will be on hand to "show you the ropes". They will tell how to mount and ride the animal. Once that is mastered the next step is to get "suited and booted". With your cowboy hat in place, you are ready to ride the range, and join the cattle drive. With the exhilaration and thrill of the drive "done and dusted" a barbecue is the only way to end the day. Beans and a sasparrilla. Now that is called a winds experience...not to be missed!

I wrote this on the 17th may 2002 at Sutton West College. My reason for writing this will be apparent as you read on... I was admitted to St Helier hospital on Monday 11th of June 1990. The time was about 7.15 a.m. My husband Eric called an ambulance and he, with my daughter Louise, came with me to casualty. I was seen by a doctor who was talking to my husband. The doctor then addressed me. I was asked a few questions which I answered. What I did not realise was that I was talking 'double Dutch'. A bed was found for me at 8pm that night. It took three or four days of tests before doctor said to Eric that I had suffered a stroke! A blood vessel was blocked in my neck on the left side, which had caused the problem. With the diagnosis confirmed I settled into what was to be a three-month stay in hospital!

For me, my days and weeks were filled with confusion. I did not recognize my husband when he came to visit me in hospital. I was in the main ward initially. Then I was moved to a ward that housed six beds. I found myself in trouble when I was put into a single room. I wanted to wash my hands at the washbasin, which was at the end of my bed, so without any fuss I made my way slowly to the basin. I did my ablutions, and slowly make my way back. So far so good! Getting out of bed was a doddle, getting back into bed was a different story, as I found to my dismay! My legs decided that enough was enough and gave up the ghost as I found myself on the floor. I was mortified! The buzzer for calling the nurse was beyond my reach. It was sheer embarrassment that stopped me calling for help. I do not know how I did it but I managed to get to my feet. With a lot of 'brute force and ignorance' I got back into bed. That particular incident was the start of my road to recovery.

I was offered a place at 'The Wolfson Medical Rehabilitation Centre'. This was my stamping ground for the next three months. I had physiotherapy, occupational therapy, and speech therapy. There was also an indoor pool, which was wonderful. I was having speech therapy one day. The lady conducting the session suggested that I should go to college and learn everything again...it was a daunting thought!

Once home, Eric became aware that I was not doing anything. I could not make sense of the TV. I was unable to read. I was unable to do anything. My husband said to me "if we are going to last, you have got to help yourself. You have got to go back to school". They were the kindest words that Eric could have said to me. Although I did not think so at the time. He arranged for me to go.

That daunting thought became 'up front and personal', when I found myself in a classroom of students, with a tutor thrown in... GULP! A feeling of "Déjà vu" came over me!...I started with the basic alphabet. Cat, hat, mat, bat etc. it was the little words that gave me grief! They did not make any sense to me. Over the years I have made progress. I was reading to myself one day at the college, and it dawned on me that I had read half a page without any problem. I was thrilled. I did not need college anymore, so I left!

The following week I was enjoying my new found freedom. It was at the weekend that Eric said to me "now that you read there is an article in the newspaper that you might find interesting" and handed me the paper. I attempted to read it.. I failed! It was 'back to the drawing board'. I returned to college and continued my studies. In May 1997 I received the 'Adult Learners Award', that was a proud moment for me".

A couple of years later I joined a class of stroke survivors. This nervous group had 'taken courage in both hands' and went back to learning again. Because everyone was in the same boat, they encouraged each other. It was a team effort. The class ran for about 5 years, and in that time our confidence grew. It ended when the tutor left to have a baby in March 2004.

I am still at Sutton West College learning the computer. I have been on a creative writing course, and I attend two stroke clubs. I am a volunteer at the local hospital, in the stroke unit. I would like to say thank you to Eric my husband, for all the support he has given me. I could not have done it without him.

Thanks to Janet for sending in her profile. Anyone else who would like to share their story can send it along with a photograph (if you're not shy!)

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