"Stroke after care"

I had a stroke in June 2019. After a few days in Crosshouse Hospital I was transferred to Ward 16 in Ayr. I can't remember much about Crosshouse but the care in Ayr was splendid. 

In the nearly nine months since my stroke I have been cared for by amazing people. The stroke nurse has supported me throughout and found help to meet needs as they have arisen. For over four months I attended the Ferguson Day Hospital at the Biggart and the help I received from the team there was amazing. 

I was already disabled and my physio tailored my exercise plan to my specific needs and helped me to make good progress. My occupational therapist was an enormous support, helping me to do the things that really mattered to me and made me feel good as a person. And my speech and language therapist helped iron out wee speech difficulties that I had found discomforting. 

The six week Stroke Support Group run by the stroke nurse and occupational therapist really helped me to think in terms of living rather than just recovering and the ten week HARP course that I have just begun will help me get further along that road. 

I have tried to thank those who have helped me and have expressed my gratitude by becoming a member of the Stroke Patients' Consultative Committee and by signing up as a volunteer at the Day Hospital and with future Stroke Support Groups. That is the least I can do for the splendid support I have received.