John D'Arcy - My Story

On January 11th 2000 I went into my local hospital (St Cross) to have a water deprivation test to see if I had a rare condition called Diabetes Insipidus (I do not!). The test was supposed to take about ten hours but after about four hours the doctors stopped the test as I was getting distressed. I was, in fact having a Cerebellar Infarction. In other words one of the arteries to my brain was blocked by a blood clot.

The part of my brain affected was the left side of the Cerebellum. It was the left vertebral artery that was blocked) The last thing I remember was going to the hospital canteen for a slice of toast!

A week previous to this I woke up one morning and staggered across the bedroom floor to the bathroom where I was violently ill. My stomach was empty and I was vomiting Bile. I went to my GP and she put it down to gastric flu which I did not question as, at the time people were going down like flies with Flu and viruses. I later realised that it was a Transient Ischaemic attack or TIA which is a type of stroke in which the symptoms generally get better within about 24 hours. If you or anyone you know suddenly lose the power of or understanding of speech, visual disturbances or loss of balance or any other unexpected problem you should consult your doctor without delay. Better to be safe than sorry!

I was an HGV lorry driver for ten years prior to having my stroke and luckily I was not driving at the time it happened. Anyway back to the hospital..... After two days I was transferred to the neurocritical care unit at University Hospital Birmingham. I was given a CT scan followed by a MRI scan (which apparently gives better pictures) After this it was apparent that my condition was complicated by Hydrocephalus. The doctors then decided that I was going to need surgery if I was to survive and I had a Shunt fitted during the early hours.

If all this were not enough I then contracted a chest infection and was put on a life support machine as I could not breath for myself. My family were then told that I was going to have an operation called a Tracheotomy.

The next day it was decided that the operation was not necessary as my breathing had improved. By this time I had that many tubes connected to me, I was beginning to resemble a bowl of spaghetti.

I remained in this hospital until 27th January when I was transferred back to St Cross. I remained at St Cross for a further five weeks and was given intensive physiotherapy five days a week. I cannot speak highly enough of these physiotherapists for they really do make a difference to the outcome of a patients treatment. I gradually put back on the weight I had lost (2½ Stones) and started the long slog back to the land of the living.

I have neglected to mention that my stroke happened one month before my 40th birthday and I was released for "just a couple of hours Mr D'Arcy and don't have too much to drink" To allow me to celebrate the tumultuous achievement of living for Forty years. Four days later on the 8th February I was yet again released to celebrate my 14th wedding anniversary (and another four pack of bitter!) On readmission to hospital I was having problems with my left leg, It was swollen and very painful. The next day I had an ultrasound scan on my leg and it was found that I had a blood clot (DVT) in my left thigh, I was immediately given an injection of Heparin (a drug used to thin the blood) and afterwards I was put on a course of Warfarin tablets (Warfarin is another drug that slows the bloods ability to clot) The physiotherapy continued and I was finally discharged on March 2nd.

After discharge from hospital I was destined to continue physiotherapy twice a week for the next six months which consisted of riding an exercise cycle, attempting (pitifully) to juggle, skipping and generally staggering around the gym.

The real test came when I got home and an enemy new to me attacked (depression) the lowest point was me giving serious consideration to ending my own life but things soon came into perspective when I remembered my own father dying aged 39 and leaving a widow and four children behind.

I was in regular contact with my GP during this period and my depression was kept at bay with drugs. My days were filled with a strong determination not just to recover but to be stronger and fitter than I have ever been and putting this into practice with running, skipping etc.

Now, two years after my stroke I look upon life with a different attitude, I sometimes stagger when I walk, I have poor co-ordination in my left hand and leg and my speech is sometimes slurred especially when I am tired, I will never win any awards for typing speed but with the help of my wife and family I have come through this "living hell" and I am a stronger person as a result.

From all this bad news comes some good, I have for a number of years wanted to change career and take up web design and because of my stroke I lost my HGV licence and my local jobcentre have found me work based training in web design. This just reinforces my "never give in" attitude and to quote a famous Chinese philosopher "a journey of 1000 miles begins with a single step"

If I were to give advice to a fellow stroke sufferer it would be this: Do your physiotherapy religiously, do as much as you are physically capable of and above all NEVER give in and you will be a winner!

Update

Well a lot has happened since that day. After I left hospital I underwent extensive physiotherapy twice a week for six months, after this I went on a 7 month training course in web development. I continued to look for work without success until, in May 2001 I saw an advert for a web developer at my local Jobcentre, the job was based in Devon (I was in Rugby at the time) but I thought "what have I got to lose". I drove down to Devon for my interview and was offered the job. I started work after a week and just started getting used to working again when my two employers disappeared (they were on the run from the VAT people) I spoke to my wife and explained what had happened and we reached a decision to move down to Devon for good. I found a new job as a web developer after a further six months and worked at this job for a year until I found my current job with Somerset County Council building an Intranet (website) for Social Services.

This may sound like waffle but the point I am trying to make is that you never know what is around the corner so you should never give in. I know that is easier said than done and I know that many a time I felt like giving in myself but I a glad that I persevered. I wish you all the very best and good luck always.

Visit John's website Stroke Survivors UK

Thanks to John for sending in his 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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