Stroke survivor’s community focus

After suffering a stroke in 2020, Paula Taylor began sharing her recovery journey on Facebook to connect with friends virtually.

Five years on, Paula says her efforts to reach out and share her own experiences online has built both local, national and international support circles.

And for this World Stroke Day, Wednesday October 29, Paula reflects on her own journey and how she’s turned a terrifying, isolating experience into a new chapter.

“It was very unexpected, then all of a sudden, I was in hospital for seven weeks, had to learn to walk, use my arm, to shower and make breakfast, and it was a state of shock at the time”, says Paula.

“Having a stroke at 52 was very isolating, as I went from working to being at home and having to take life one day at a time so quickly.

“I was struggling as I didn’t know anyone my age who had a stroke, so I started the page for my friends as a bit of a public diary originally as I had lost so much human contact and there was so much going on in my head.

“You can be looking good on the outside, but that may not be what’s happening in your own brain. It’s such a different healing process reconnecting your brain to your body.

“The firsthand experience is something that people just can’t understand if you haven’t been through it yourself or around people to understand the emotional, physical and cognitive difficulties that stroke victims go through.”

Paula says that in reflection, sharing her own thoughts on the ‘My Stroke Survival Kit’ Facebook page and using it to connect to community wide support was so crucial to her own mental health.

“Building the page into a little community with people around the world sharing their own experiences alongside me is so lovely to have here.

“I expected a couple of followers, but I saw it as a public diary for me to bring awareness as I’d get lots of question from people who didn’t know about strokes.
“Locally, we’ve started a support group for young Stroke survivors through the Marlborough Stroke Club - we all start as strangers with something in common, with so much to discuss as we are all in the same boat.”

And she says while says that while sympathy is a good start from those who care, it’s an ongoing challenge.

“A stroke means your brain is relearning to work right, it just isn’t the same as a hip replacement”, she says. “I consider myself somewhat lucky as I can talk, a lot of people can’t let people know what they need and how they’re feeling, so much is attached to strokes that can be really debilitating.

“It’s a lifetime recovery; it’s almost a part time job just to make sure I’m functioning alright.

“We are very lucky with the wonderful support services Blenheim have, but if you want to help, Marlborough Stroke Club always needs volunteers and committee members, or there’s many ways you can help with people in your life which starts as simply as a coffee and conversation”.

Follow Paula’s journey at www.facebook.com/paulataylor123, or contact the Marlborough Stroke Club at www.facebook.com/marlbstroke/