Stroke warning by survivor Debbie (41)
Former bank worker is keen to raise awareness
An inspirational stroke survivor is on a mission to raise awareness of the condition that affects more than 152,000 people a year in the UK.
Debbie Matthew was only 40 years old when she suffered a stroke out of the blue in March last year.
She is still on the long road to recovery and wants to spread the message that a stroke – which occurs when the blood supply to part of the brain is cut off – can strike down anyone at any time.
Debbie, who also stressed the importance of getting someone suspected of suffering a stroke to hospital as quickly as possible, was at home alone when she started to feel unwell.
Initially, she thought she might be in need of something to eat and went to make a snack but quickly began to feel worse and, within minutes, started to feel a tingle in her arm.
The former employee at the Royal Bank of Scotland branch on Blairgowrie’s Allan Street explained: “Then it was like excruciating pins and needles and it went from the tips of my fingers up my arm, up my shoulder and ear and the side of my face and right down my leg.”
Debbie tried to stand up but fell to the side and couldn’t move.
Aware something was wrong, she swiped her smartphone using her chin and called husband Johnny.
When he heard Debbie making strange noises he realised something was wrong and rushed home to find her slouched on the couch.
He alerted next-door neighbour, Arlene Macgregor, who is first aid-trained and they called an ambulance.
The operator talked Arlene and Johnny through the FAST steps – which stands for ‘Facial, Arm, Speech and Time’ – which help confirm if someone is having a stroke.
Debbie, who recalls nothing of the distressing ordeal, now lives on Drummond Castle Estate near Crieff and admits it was a terrifying wait of 50 minutes for Johnny and Arlene before an ambulance arrived.
She stressed: “You’ve only got a three-hour window from when you have your stroke to getting treatment to help your chances of recovery.”
Non-smoker Debbie, who was “fighting fit” prior to the incident and would only occasionally have a glass of wine, is on the mend but has had to give up her job working in a bank.
She has regained her speech and mobility, but has lost full function of her right leg, walks with a stick, and struggles with stairs.
She explained: “When you have had a stroke, although you will go back to some form of normality, it will never be the same. It took a while to get used to that, especially things that I am not physically able to do.”
Debbie added: “Some days are better than others – some days are harder than others. It’s emotional.
“A stroke counsellor at Ninewells said that there’s no stroke survivor who doesn’t have the emotional depressive side and that’s just part of the brain problem.
“You also worry every day that it might happen again but the longer you have not had a second stroke the less likely you are to have another.”
Debbie praised the medical professionals that have helped her and the local community for their support over the past 10 months.
She added: “People moan about the NHS but I have had the most fantastic treatment and rehabilitation.
“People say that when they get discharged from hospital they get nothing but I have had everything - physiotherapy, occupational therapy. I still see the stroke liaison nurse every three months and my GP keeps an eye on me as well.”
A positive person, Debbie is now focusing on raising awareness and money for the stroke unit in Perth.
She explained: “I’ve got to do something good out of something bad that happened because if I don’t I’d be miserable and I need to stay positive for my family, my wee one and my friends. I have to get some sort of life back.
“People think that once you’ve had a stroke life’s over. In the early stages I thought that too and I was really depressed and angry, so it was difficult, but I’ve had to accept it.
“My family, Johnny’s family and my friends have been amazing.”