This picture shows my journey from before my stroke until now.

The colours show how I felt at each stage. Each of the numbers refer to the writing below.

I told Becky what to write, by drawing, and writing key words, and saying key words. She suggested sentences and then we edited them together. I hope you enjoy reading my story. Keep your chins up and persevere and things will slowly improve.

1. I grew up in Poland but I came to England when I was 21. I came to stay with my auntie for two months, then that was extended to six months, and then I met my husband, and I’ve been here ever since.

I worked in the City of London at Lloyd’s Register of Shipping for 20 years. I was the manager responsible for sending wages all over the world. Sometimes I worked from 7 in the morning until 7 at night.

When Irene, my daughter, was 14 I split up with my husband. It was a sad time but my friends helped me to get through it. I had a lot of very close, supportive friends with whom I spent a lot of time socialising.

Irene went to Portsmouth University for five years and studied business studies with marketing, and I was proud that I had a job that allowed me to send her money. She did very well and got a 2:1.

2. Seven days after Irene got her degree, I had a stroke. I had been having bad headaches and was going into hospital to have an operation for an aneurysm. I stocked up the freezer with lots of tasty food for Irene – I thought I would be in hospital for about three days.

The whole thing is a blank. I found out I had been in hospital for five months and had missed Irene’s degree presentation; my dear auntie had gone in my place. My daughter and friends were very supportive and comforting. There are no photographs of me from this time because I felt empty and angry and resentful.

During that time I went to Poland many times so that my mum could comfort me. 

While I was there I had some hydrotherapy on my weak side, and some physiotherapy, for six weeks.  

Things slowly improved, and after Poland Irene suggested that we should go on holiday to Majorca.

I didn’t really want to go but I agreed, and to my surprise I really enjoyed myself for the first time since I was ill.

3. Irene found out about City Dysphasic Group and I started to go twice a week. Very slowly I began to feel better and my friends all encouraged me. CDG became Connect and moved to a new building about a year ago. I feel my progress is due to Connect because here there are people who will listen to me and make the effort to understand me. It’s good to meet other people who have had strokes and can relate to me. I appreciate it tremendously and would like to thank them from the bottom of my heart.

When I was feeling miserable, my friends tried to encourage me to socialise but I wasn’t interested. But when I started going to Connect I began to have a change in attitude.

For the first time ever, I had time to notice the scenery and flowers and architecture around me. Before I was always rushing backwards and forwards and never looked up.

At the moment I feel that I am about 75% back to normal. Speaking is still difficult for me, and I’m thinking about learning sign language. I am looking to join a pottery and yoga class in St Albans, and I spend a lot of time with my friends.  

4. In about March 2002 I had ‘a blip.’ 

My mum had a new flat in Poland and I visited her seven times in one year to organise the fixtures and fittings.

Then I had to furnish the whole place in one week. It was dreadful, really exhausting.

At the same time I was having a conservatory built at home.

I spent a lot of time telling the workmen what to do and making them cups of tea.

The combination of these things was too much and for about a month I was tearful and depressed and stayed in my dressing gown all day crying.

Then one day the post arrived and in it were two flight tickets to Poland. I was very surprised because I’d only just been to Poland, so I phoned Irene. She said it was a surprise, and we were leaving in five days time. We went to stay with my mum and she looked after me and I cheered up enormously.

5. You can see from my picture at the top of the page  that these days I feel I’m gradually improving all the time because of the support and encouragement I get. Thanks to Becky and Susie and Jim and the Internet group for helping my progress.