Johannesburg - There were tears of joy and sadness on Thursday as the Netcare Rehabilitation Hospital in Auckland Park marked International Stroke Awareness Day.
The hospital, together with physical rehabilitation services Rita Henn and Partners, held a tea for former and current stroke patients and their families.
A group of speech and physical therapists first explained to attendees: “A stroke is when the blood supply to part of your brain is interrupted or severely reduced, leading to oxygen deprivation which causes brain cells to die. It’s usually caused by a blot clot or the rupture of a blood vessel in the brain, which causes bleeding.”
Stroke survivors were also given an opportunity to share their stories of trial and triumph.
Thabo*, 16, has a heart defect and suffered a stroke earlier this year that affected his left side. “I couldn’t move my left arm or walk. I couldn’t talk either. I have been here for six weeks now and I can walk with a stick, and talk too,” he said with a smile.
Edna*, who suffered a stroke in February, told of the difficulties of not being able to communicate and her temporary loss of independence.
She was in a coma for two weeks. “When I woke up I couldn’t understand what people were saying to me and I couldn’t communicate either. It became frustrating, but I made a promise to myself after my mom came to visit me that I was going to get better,” she said.
“I was resilient, I wanted to learn to wash myself again. When my husband said he’d ordered a wheelchair for me, I decided that I would learn to walk again before it arrived.”
Edna said the one word she learnt to hate was “wait”, adding that to her it’s not in the dictionary.
“Despite leaning a bit to the left from the stroke, I’m walking and talking again.”
She had a strong message for the families of stroke victims. “Be patient with them and listen to them, even if they can’t speak. To everyone out there, take care of your body and learn your limits. All stroke patients want is to be treated as they were before,” she said.
The hospital’s manager, Marietha van Vuuren, told The Star that International Stroke Awareness Day is important because people need to know and understand the risks.
“We are seeing people who are much younger suffering from strokes,” she said.
“It’s a competitive world and young people are pushing themselves far harder because it’s all so fast-paced.
“Our lifestyle is not good, we over-indulge in junk food, smoking and alcohol, all of which are bad habits. If we’re going to prevent strokes we need to respect our bodies, not poison them.”
Van Vuuren said people needed to be aware of stroke signs and symptoms because the quicker the response time, the more chance a life could be saved.
“Every day you see miracles happen. Those of us who are able-bodied can appreciate the fact that people with a disability, if you see them and what they do every day, they achieve far more than what I in my able body can achieve because of their determination and willingness to push themselves,” Van Vuuren said.