Stroke can be different for many and for Roy Cooper from Sligo a stroke struck just one week after his retirement at age 65. “I didn’t know what was happening. It struck without warning.”
A plasterer by trade, Roy was in his kitchen on 15th November 2023 and had just made a cup of coffee when he felt the power going all the way down the right side of his body. He grabbed onto the kitchen counter and his wife Patricia and son Craig rushed to his aid and recognised the F.A.S.T. signs that he was having a stroke. Patricia phoned the ambulance which arrived soon after and Roy was rushed to the local hospital in Sligo.
Paramedics took Roy’s blood pressure which had a 300 systolic pressure. A normal blood pressure level is 120 systolic over 80 diastolic.
He received lifesaving thrombolysis, a medication used to dissolve a clot. He also had a number of tests including a CT scan, MRI, echo and ultrasound and was told he had suffered a stroke. The tests also revealed Roy had undiagnosed atrial fibrillation, an abnormal heart rhythm, which is a risk factor for stroke. His blood pressure was monitored and he was put on medication for both conditions.
“Although that happened, I still feel lucky. Lucky that I was fit before my stroke and I got through it.”
Roy stayed in hospital for over two weeks, and during this, he undertook physiotherapy to help regain the power on his right side. After four days, Roy was able to get out of bed and walk with a walking stick which he credits to his physiotherapist who encouraged him to walk through the wards, then corridors and gradually downstairs to his physio appointments. “Physiotherapy definitely worked for me – Joanne the physiotherapist encouraged me to make progress gradually and when I walked as far as the physio department, then I had to walk back too.”
Roy received an early discharge support package, allowing him to be discharged and receive supports from his home for six weeks.
“After those six weeks, you are thrown to the wolves - look after yourself now.”
Before leaving hospital, the Irish Heart Foundation Stroke Support services were mentioned to Roy, and when home he signed up to receive them. He then joined the Sligo in-person stroke support group, availed of counselling, online exercises classes, online talks and used the Nurse Support Line.
He recommends using the Irish Heart Foundation supports and said: “Michelle, my group coordinator at the in-person stroke support group is very good. She asks what kind of talks we would like and shares lots of information. We discuss things together.”
Roy participates in chair exercise at the group to help build his upper body and core strength as well as both fine and gross motor skills. The aim of these particular exercises is for the body to repeat motions regularly which can then help when doing daily chores like lifting groceries when doing shopping. It is also beneficial for mental wellbeing.
“Once you’ve had a stroke you want to keep to yourself but you need to break down that barrier. You need to get your head in the right place and not blame someone else.”
"It can be tough. But you have to push yourself - push yourself to get out of bed and keep trying."
“You have to live life as if it’s normal. If you don’t, you’re in trouble.
“It has helped me. When life changes you’ve got to do things differently. There are mental blocks in your head and you get around them.”
“I wouldn’t know where to go if the Irish Heart Foundation didn’t exist.”
