Thomasina King, from Belfast, had an unexpected, lifechanging stroke less than a year ago at just 47 years old. Thomasina’s life changed overnight, and she is sharing her story in support of local health charity Northern Ireland Chest Heart & Stroke’s (NICHS) current blood pressure awareness campaign, which highlights how 1 in 2 heart attacks and strokes are linked to high blood pressure.
Thomasina explains; “On the 23rd of July last year I came home from holiday, feeling great. Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine I would have a stroke the next day.”
“I woke up on the morning of my stroke not feeling like myself. I felt like I had lay funny on my left side but when I tried to get up, I just couldn't. I started to panic, and my partner took me to the Royal Victoria Hospital where I was seen quite quickly. A stroke was not immediately diagnosed as it didn’t show up when I had a CT scan. I then had an MRI scan which showed the bleed on my brain and confirmed I had had a stroke.”
“Within a couple of hours, I had lost all mobility down my lefthand side. It was terrifying. Having a stroke in my forties was the last thing I expected to happen to me.”
Thomasina continues; “I had been experiencing borderline high blood pressure before my stroke; at times it showed as high and other times it was normal. I had 24-hour monitoring of my blood pressure previously, but the doctors didn’t seem too concerned by the results, so I wasn’t prescribed any medication or treatment. I was advised in the hospital however that my stroke was more than likely caused by high blood pressure. I’m now on medication to manage my blood pressure for life. That’s why I am sharing my story, to make people aware of the dangers of undiagnosed and untreated high blood pressure and to encourage everyone to check theirs.”
After her stroke was diagnosed, Thomasina was prescribed blood thinners and transferred to the hospital’s stroke ward to start her recovery journey. “The day after my stroke a physiotherapist started doing some work with me and a few days after that, they had me up trying to walk. That was the hardest thing, trying to walk again in front of my children. My daughter was 17 and my son was just 11 and they were so frightened and upset.”
“I was discharged from hospital after five days and my care moved over to the Community Stroke Team. I had physiotherapy and occupational therapy at home and the team told me about Northern Ireland Chest Heart & Stroke and the support they can provide to people post stroke. I was visited by one of NICHS’s Care Services Coordinators, Tracy, who was fantastic. She took the time to listen to what had happened to me and was able to give information and advice on living life with the effects of a stroke as well as details about the NICHS programmes I could attend, including their Post Rehab Exercise Programme (PREP).”
PREP is a physiotherapy led, community-based course which helps rebuild people's lives after stroke through exercise and education. It is designed for stroke survivors who have completed the statutory rehabilitation provided by the NHS to meet their longer-term care needs.
Thomasina explains; “At this stage I wasn’t fully back up on my feet walking so PREP sounded helpful. I had a rollator which I didn’t really want to use as I was so young, and I was relying more on a walking stick. I started going to PREP and it was hard going at first. It’s a great programme but it was physically tough for me. People don’t realise how some movements, which look simple, can be really challenging for someone who has had a stroke, and I really had to push myself through the exercises. But I saw improvements and kept going.”
“I also found the group discussion at the end of PREP very helpful. I could really relate to being in the same room with people in the same position as me. I have never really been one for speaking out, but because there were people who had been through something similar to me, I felt more at ease speaking out and that really helped. The group at PREP just get it, they understand what it's like to have had a stroke. They understand how difficult and challenging things can be, both physically and mentally.”
“I completed three cycles of PREP, and it has really helped my recovery. I also did NICHS’s Taking Control Self-Management Programme and found it beneficial too. I go to the Young Stroke Support group now where it’s really good to talk about things.”
Explaining the impact stroke has had on her life Thomasina says: “My life has completely changed and that takes its toll. I am unable to work now and was recently made redundant from my job as it was very physical, and I can’t do it any longer. The impact of that has been devastating, it’s just another thing to have to worry about. I’m only 47, I’ve always worked and being out of work and being in the house a lot has had a big impact on my mental health, as well as the financial worries that come with that.”
“It’s hard for families too, watching someone they love dealing with the aftermath of a stroke. It’s hard for my children and of course as a mother I want to protect them from things as much as I can, so it’s hard for everyone.”
“Even now my mobility still isn’t great, and I can't really walk far. My balance can be off a lot of the time too, but I try not to dwell on things and just get on with it. I’ve been really determined throughout this and have worked really hard on my recovery journey, but it’s been difficult. People mean well and say things like, ‘you’re looking well’, but someone who has had a stroke might not feel that on the inside. People aren’t always aware of the challenges and struggles stroke survivors, and people with other health conditions, have to go through on a daily basis.”
Thomasia concludes; “I am telling my story to support NICHS’s blood pressure campaign and would encourage everyone to check their blood pressure, no matter what their age, lifestyle, whether they feel fine. Do not put it off, because you could be too late.”
“I would also say to people, stroke doesn’t just affect older people, it can affect anyone, at any age. Don’t ignore any warning signs or potential symptoms of a stroke and get medical help as soon as you can. I think my quick response to my symptoms was really important. Things could have been even worse which doesn’t bear thinking about.”
Fidelma Carter, Head of Public Health at Northern Ireland Chest Heart & Stroke, says; “We are very grateful to Thomasia for sharing her story as it shows just how dangerous undetected and untreated high blood pressure can be.”
“Over 280,000 people, or around 1 in 5 of the adult population in Northern Ireland, are living with high blood pressure¹ but there is a significant number of people, around 120,000, who have high blood pressure and do not realise it. This gives us great cause for concern due to the fact one in two heart attacks and strokes are linked to the condition and it is something our current campaign aims to change.”
“Undetected high blood pressure is often known as ‘The Silent Killer’ due to the fact it rarely causes any physical symptoms or warning signs and is often only discovered after someone suffers a stroke or heart attack. The only way to know what your blood pressure is, and if it is high, is to have it measured and that is what we are urging the public to do through our campaign.”
“A blood pressure check is simple and only takes a few minutes, but it really could help save your life. There are a number of ways you can get your blood pressure checked. You can make an appointment with your GP or visit your local pharmacy which may operate a blood pressure monitoring service. You could also buy a blood pressure machine for home monitoring.”
For further information and support about blood pressure, visit www.nichs.org.uk/highbloodpressure
