Teenage stroke survivor talks of year long recovery journey

By the time the ambulance crew arrived, Adi was completely paralysed on her right hand side and had to be lifted out of the house on a carry chair.

She was quickly taken to the Belford Hospital and then to Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Glasgow. The aspiring lawyer would spend three weeks there recuperating after surgery to remove the large blood clot that caused her stroke.

Physio and speech therapy started in the ward at the Queen Elizabeth before Adi returned home to her two little sisters in Fort William.

Despite her speech and movement improving Adi felt she wasn’t ready to return to university. She had already had a year of learning derailed by her stroke.

"I got a little bit sad, lonely and anxious," she said.

"I think it was a mixture of knowing I’d had the stroke, having to defer university for a year and having to build basic skills back up. Everything was tiring and exhausting.

"I remember crying a lot. There was a big feeling of loneliness and a sense of feeling lost."

After being put in touch with Vince McLaughlin, a Community Self Support Coordinator with Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland Adi started having one-to-one sessions to help her get back on the right path.

A plan was made to get her back to university through mental, physical and day-to-day tasks across a series of conversations.

She said: "Ever since meeting Vince everything has completely changed for me. He has been absolutely amazing and helped me so much.

"I feel much better now and much more like myself. I started working as a receptionist for two mornings a week four weeks ago and am also doing work experience in a law firm once a week.

"I’m all set to go back to university in September and really looking forward to it."

Self Support Coordinator Vince said: "From the first meeting with Adi and her dad, it was clear she was determined. Sometimes developing goals can be really challenging, but she was incredibly focused.

"She has come on in leaps and bounds - she’s absolutely flying now.

"As a charity, we like to tell people’s stories because it’s about giving other people hope and letting them know that support is available.

“Where Adi has come from to where she is now is incredible."

Anyone living with the effects of a chest, heart or stroke condition or Long Covid can access advice and information by contacting Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland’s Advice Line on 0808 801 0899, text ADVICE to 66777 or email adviceline@chss.org.uk.