When I went to Fiona Stanley, at last I was given a private room. Being a new hospital, everything was very different and top of the range compared to Royal Perth. The exceptionally good service was the same. Here, as my walking ability had improved, I was allowed more freedom. I was able to wander around the complex, unaided and found the gym where I discovered a rowing machine.

The Fiona Stanley Hospital Gym

On the days the gym was unsupervised and closed I still managed to sneak through to the rowing machine and row. I really enjoyed it, it gave me bodily and mental strength.

I was beginning to tell that there is a correlation between mental strength and physical strength. They go hand in hand. The more I pushed myself the better I felt.

Now I was able to take more responsibility for myself. Besides the three hours daily from the therapists I was given plenty of tasks that I could do on my own. My body was improving daily, but I still needed to read, write, and speak more fluently. Often the pressure of trying made it all hopeless as my brain would virtually overheat and I’d feel exhausted. The stroke had almost erased the language side of me. The apps on the computer that I was given were excellent as I was able to pace myself and move up the levels.

I got joy from knowing that my brain was slowly piecing itself together again.

The therapists were happy when they noticed all our hard work was paying off.

Money & Calculations

One day I had $10 in my wallet and went to the kiosk to buy a sandwich and a coffee. The options thrown at me were overwhelming and I couldn’t decide as my mind wouldn’t work on that level. As there was a long queue behind me impatiently waiting, I decided to bail out and prepare for my purchases next time.

The next day I tried for my sandwich.

I stood back and got ready to ask for a beef, salad and pickle sandwich and a flat white coffee. I nervously waited for the girl to serve me. I really cocked the sandwich up, but I got the coffee right. Then she said that I didn’t have enough money, so that threw me into another turmoil. She let me off with the money and I paid her back the next day. She understood that I was a stroke victim!

The Support of Family & Friends

My family and friends were an immense help, and I had many laughs with them.

My sister came from Canberra and stayed for two weeks and visited me daily. She spent hours reading to me, making me do exercises and talking and joking with me. As she was a nurse, she knew the ropes and quizzed everyone she could about my wellbeing.

I later found out that my sister contacted the Carnarvon Hospital when I first had my stroke. She insisted that I be flown to Perth where stroke affected people could get better health care. I thanked her for that as she laid the pathway to very professional rehab services.

Later on, her daughter, my niece, came and stayed. My wife drove from Carnarvon, monthly, to visit and help with appointments. She did what she could behind the scenes while I was in full rehab mode, more than I will ever know.

Rachael, my daughter, often came to visit, to cheer me up. She also did a 100-kilometre run to raise money and awareness for stroke victims. Knowing she did this brought me great happiness.

(to be continued …)