Unlike many chronic illnesses, stroke usually has a sudden onset. Few people know much about stroke unless it happens to them or someone they know. While most patients survive stroke, the initial shock can be bewildering and is often accompanied by a deep sense of loss.
Life will never be quite the same for anyone who has had a stroke. Yet, in time, many survivors are able to accept their new situation and go on to live lives that are just as satisfying as before the stroke occurred, if not more so.
Deeper understanding of the experiences of stroke survivors is vital in informing the giving of appropriate care and in aiding self-healing. And one way to learn more about the initial traumatic experience of stroke and the recovery journey is by listening to the stories of stroke survivors.
This website shares the results of a story project carried out by the NHS Lanarkshire Stroke Service as part of the staff training component of a project called ETHoS. We describe:
The full narratives and digital stories are also available for your own use and reflection.
Influence is achieved less through analysis which alters thinking, than through offering a simple truth which affects feelings...
Professor Aidan Halligan