Hi
I had a stroke in November 2011. I am a teacher and I went to work like any other day. I was in the middle of my lesson when I suddenly felt my arm go floppy and heavy. I tried to get up but couldn't walk. I didn't really want to let the students know what had happened so I emailed the school nurse with a HELP! Please come quickly. Luckily she was in her room and she came within 5 minutes. When I explained what had happened, she knew it was a stroke and phoned for the ambulance. She arranged for my students to go on a break and waited with me until the ambulance arrived. I have never felt so undignified being carried out of my workplace on a stretcher. I could see students in all the windows looking to see what was going on. At the hospital I had a CT scan and was taken to a stroke unit where they took me into a special room called the thromolysis room. They gave me a piece of paper to read which was something to do with having an injection to clear the clot. I couldn't take it all in and didn't really understand what I was giving consent to. Luckily, my neurologist arrived and made the decision not to thrombolyse. (I have a neurologist because I suffered a previous stroke in 2003 which just affected my peripheral vision but I didn't go to hospital or take time off work)
Anyway back to the recent stroke - I spent 4 days in a stroke unit and worked with a physio to work on my arm. It was when went home that I started to realise that the arm was the least of my worries. I was tired all the time and found that my memory and concentration were poor. I saw an occupational health advisor and she helped me to develop strategies to cope with the mental difficulties. I have found lists very useful and in the beginning had a notepad which I carried everywhere to write down what task I was doing otherwise, I would forget and start something else!
My GP was excellent and very supportive throughout. The cause of my strokes are still unexplained - I have had numerous tests but nothing - this is very frustrating as I sometimes feel like a ticking bomb and it is only a matter of time before stroke number 3 comes along. I have two children aged 5 & 6 and want to enjoy them growing up.
I went back to work on a phased return just before Easter. It is a hard slog as everything takes longer than before. I am still hoping to be back full time within 12 months of the stroke. I was hoping to be back full-time in September but I'm not sure whether that will happen. I have just had an occupational health review and he wants to see me again in August to decide on the plan for September. In the mean time I have seen my job advertised in the paper which has really upset me. I know that the Head has to make sure he has enough staff for September to cover all the classes, and I think I would have been ok with it if he had just advertised for a teacher. But the advert is for a Head of Department which is my role. I don't know what is going to happen if he appoints someone because I am not giving up a job I have worked hard for. I will be there in September, even if part-time.
Is there anyone else who have faced similar issues in return to work. I have only just found this website - I wish had known about it before as I'm sure that seeing other people's stories would have helped me.
Anyway, it's after 2am and I should be in bed.
Would love to hear from someone.