Kevin Bunyan
Hiya everyone, my name is Kevin Bunyan, I'm a 35 yr old truck driver from S.Wales, married for 13 yrs with 3 kids (boy 14, girl 12, boy 11). I'm 5ft 10" of slim build and I'd like to tell you my story. After 3 days of deliberation wondering whether I should or not, after reading other stories, but what the hell here goes - sorry if it drags on a bit.
The day started as normal, a 1 am start. Yes that is normal. It was my last shift before my 4 days off. I work 4 on, 4 off. Having driven from Manchester the day before, and parking up in Builth Wells, I started my journey to Cross Hands, which is where our main depot is situated. I arrived at about 3 am, when I was told I was going to Newcastle, but the load isn't ready, good news really, I could get another hour or so kip which I gladly took and needed. Six am arrived before I was awoken with a gentle bang on the cab door, "trailer's ready!" Great! Off I go, still no problems, just a headache. So I took 2 paracetamol, which usually works for the headache, but today it wasn't going to.
So I left for Newcastle at 7 am. By 10 am my head was pumping. But I thought I'll keep going, the tablets should have worked by now, and so I took another 2. (I suffer with migraine, so there are always tablets in my bag.) Donnington services weren't far away, so I stopped there for a break and something to eat, and thought hopefully this headache would go. Got there, found a quiet area to park and went for my meal, which by service station standards wasn't too bad. Full tank now, headache still there, 30mins left on my break, so a chance for another kip. Hard life eh! Got off to sleep, but overslept, half hour turned into 2 and a half hours! damn I won't make Newcastle in time now. Pressure building up to stressful levels, I woke up with the mother of all headaches and tingling sensation down my arm, which I put down to sleeping on it. I could only describe it as pins and needles. My foot was also tingly, but I could still feel it enough to change gear. Nothing unusual, pins and needles usually wears off after a few minutes. So I carried on.
I got on the M1 and headed for Newcastle, didn't feel any worse, and this is where things start to get a little vague, I remember some parts, passing Trent Water and coming into slow moving traffic. Normal for the M1. So I decided to get off at the next junction. And stop before this headache, which by this time was showing no signs of easing up. Just to have a walk around and stretch my legs.
By this time I had been reported to the police for driving in an unusual manner, apparently swaying across lanes. They pulled me over on the junction I was getting off at anyway - J28, I think it was. The officer had expected to find me intoxicated and asked me to step out of the cab. After I had given him the mandatory "what have I done?" I'm still unaware that any thing was wrong. He climbed up to the window to get a smell of my breath I think, because he got really close - what ever happened to innocent until proven guilty? He then told me to get out of the cab and sit in the patrol car, he asked me what was the matter with me. Again I told him there is nothing wrong with me, just a headache I told him, and he tried to grab me out of my cab but I fell out.
I thought I slipped but had no grip with my left hand. Still haven't realised what was happening to me. The officer picked me up and put me in the car, probably wondering why the hell I couldn't stand up. I got in the car with his help, beginning to worry myself now. I looked in the mirror of the squad car and thought, "I look fine, what's his problem?" and duly tried to get out while he checked my vehicle over. So I dragged myself across the back seat, one leg out the door before he got back and caught me red handed. I told him I needed a wee. And HAD to go. He told me I was going nowhere and to close the door. I tried but the door would not shut. After 3 attempts to close the officer pointed out that it won't close with my leg in there. I could not feel it. I eventually made my escape, only to have a wee, but fell straight on my face, I tried to get to the fence to pull myself up but the patrol man stopped me, I explained I needed a wee. By this time I was frantic, another officer arrived, and saw me lying there. He held me on the ground. I couldn't hold it in anymore. He made me piss in my trousers but I didn't care. I was way passed the embarrassment stage by now.
My speech had gone slurry; I could see the cuts on my arm, but couldn't feel them. Then the other officer recognised what was happening, and said to his colleague "he's having a stroke", he remembered his mother having one. I was drifting in and out of consciousness. An ambulance was called, and I was taken to Rotherham General where I had a MRI scan, and transferred to the Royal Hallamshire hospital in Sheffield. Can't remember any of that. When I came round, the following day my wife and mam were at my bedside, 250 miles from home. Boy, was I glad to see them. They filled me in on what had happened during the last 24 hrs. It turns out to have been an intercerebral bleed on the right side of my brain which had left me with left side paralysis. I could just talk, food had to be spoon-fed, bed bathed etc. etc.no movement in my left side, my face had dropped. But myself I felt ok, just wanted to sleep. The local paper even ran a story of it "trucker defies death." What a headline, but I never got to see it, nurses thought it was inappropriate.
I spent one week in Sheffield before getting transferred to West Wales General in Carmarthen. That week gave me a chance to think. I'm not going to be sad, I'm going to fight this head-on. Positive Mental Attitude, don't let it get me down. And so far so good. Eight months on, I'm still here, still fighting, still got a P.M.A. it's worked so far. Along with the physio, now just once a month, and a very supportive family, I'm now walking and talking just fine, my left arm is a little slow to respond but it is working. I can ride my mountain bike without falling off, there's life in this old dog yet. I'm hoping to get back into work soon, being stuck at home is "doing my head in!" Don't know if I can get my HGV licence back though, but my wife(carer) says its too soon.
I spent 8 weeks at Carmarthen, with the odd weekend being allowed home, the staff were absolutely fabulous. But none of my achievements would have been possible without the care of my wife and family. Their support and patience has been invaluable. It has taken me a while to get to grips with what's happened. It's a long road, but I think I know the way. I'm not giving up. By the way, the doctors put it down to hypertension on that particular day. I do smoke, roll ups, about 10 a day. Still smoking. Not that it's anything to be proud of. I've had my follow up angiogram, doctor says it is fine, no trace of previous bleed. I'm not on any medication.
Any message would be greatly received from anyone in a similar situation. My message is "Don't give up there is life after stroke." P.M.A (positive mental attitude).
P.S. anybody who was on the M1 on the 26/08/2005 heading north between J23 & J29, please accept my apologies if I swerved towards you. I didn't mean it, I was unwell. No charges were brought against me.
P.P.S. 8 months on, thankful I'm still here, and making excellent progress.
Thanks to Kevin 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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