Life//Adventures

On FEBRUARY 27TH 2011 my life changed forever, this is my story of recovering from a stroke at the age of 21. 1 in 5 people will have a stroke in their lifetime... I hope this blog helps raise awareness of strokes in younger people or helps another stroke survivor realise it can be OK. In the UK 150, 000 people will have a stroke every year - 25% of these are under retirement age. approximately 700 per year are CHILDREN. Strokes do not discriminate against age so remember to act FAST (Has their face drooped on one side? Can they raise both arms and keep them there? is the speech slurred? time to call an ambulance!!!) hit counter added 27/12/11 hit counter

[hhtandme-blog]

At Home 08/02/16 5am. It was early in the morning, an hour before my normal time of getting up. I was in bed but it was hot and stuffy in the bedroom. My head facing down on my pillow and I woke up because I remember something trickling down my left nostril. I rushed to the bathroom holding my nose and as soon as I got to the toilet I removed the pressure and it started to gush out. I was by the toilet for about an hour. Before you knew it it was time to get ready for work. To say I was tired through the day is an understatement. I had lost blood and it’s just tiring to continually be in an emergency to help treat the condition. Ultimately my work could be affected in the day because of how much energy the condition takes out of me. I hope that it does not get any worse. It’s already debilitating enough. But I get on with things and try not to let it hold me back.

[lifestrokeadventures]

Great blog about the day to day life living with the rare condition HHT. #1in5000

[hhtandme-blog]

At work

05/01/16 I had a light nosebleed at 9:45 at the work desk after walking back from the printer. Sometimes my nose bleeds when I change what I am doing. For example, going from a seated calm position to an active body appears to get the blood pumping. Maybe this change sparks an instant higher blood flow which my blood AVM vessels are not structured to handle. Perhaps I need to slow down and take things easier. Or maybe it’s an excuse not to go to the printer. Yes that must be it. Such a slob ha.

[lifestrokeadventures]

HHT is a condition I know all too much about. It can cause nose bleeds on a daily basis amongst more serious side effects. Nice to see someone raising awareness for the debilitating effects in can have on day to day life.

[lifestrokeadventures]

Happy birthday blog!!

[lifestrokeadventures]

#skynews #notskynews at least we had our make up done! Look at @sicomm's flawless skin!! 😂

[lifestrokeadventures]

I'm HAPPY

I'm so happy in fact that i've barely had time to think about writing a blog post for far to long so I wanted to post a little update...

I've been working at the BBC for almost 8 months now and have worked my hours up to a 7 day fortnight (3 days one week, 4 days the next), It looks like I will be having my hours increased to a 9 day fortnight soon which will allow me to still attend physiotherapy once every two weeks. It will be reviewed regularly to make sure the hours aren't too much to me - there are times that I still get absolutely exhausted and times that I feel like I could work full time no problem so lets see how it goes! Simon and I have been living together for just over 6 months and we are just as happy and sickeningly loved up as we were in the beginning - if not more! It will be a year since we met on Tuesday which I can hardly believe. I will never take for granted how lucky we were to be in the right place at the right time and to find each other because of something that for a long time had turned our lives upside down. We both always say that we understand why it all happened now and I know now that I would not change my stroke for the world. 

On 3rd November last year we launched our project 'Little Steps to Great Strides' which is a website that aims to host video diaries from people living with long term disabilities and conditions, there are currently around 10 video diaries on there - most from stroke survivors and we hope that these videos will enable others going through something similar to  understand that they are not alone and to feel supported. You can see more about this project at http://www.littlestepstogreatstrides.co.uk so please check it out - I would love to see what you think!! 

[lifestrokeadventures]

Today is my amazing @sicomm 's 9th #stroke anniversary AND we are launching an exciting new #project. Look out for it TONIGHT @sblittlesteps

[lifestrokeadventures]

[mythsandfabrications]

My daughter wanted to dress up her hamster in dolly clothes, I told her that wasn’t really going to work…but if we cut holes in a box and make some of those seaside type pictures you stick your head through, only hamster sized, perhaps we could make him look like he dressed up!

-I should point out to anyone concerned about animal cruelty- David Bowie (the hamster pictured) was not forced to do this, he put his head through the holes of his own accord, and out of curiosity. It is basically a box with holes in- the kind of thing you are encouraged to offer your hamster to play in for enrichment. You wouldn’t worry about someone giving their hamster a cardboard tube to play with- this is the same idea. The paints used are all non-toxic and kid safe, to ensure they would not cause him any harm. He was only in the box for a few minutes, and we took him out as soon as he got bored. If anyone else is intending to do the same, please do so responsibly, and with the best interests of your hamster at heart. Thanks :)

Mythillogical- Myths & Fabrications

[lifestrokeadventures]

Why didnt I think of this!

[lifestrokeadventures]

An unexpected life after stroke...

Two years ago I could barely walk to the end of the street, was looking forward to returning to university but had no idea what the future would hold for me… I never imagined that by the time I turned 24 I would have graduated with a first, backpacked around Thailand for three weeks, been headhunted for a job at the BBC or moved to London with my incredible boyfriend Simon…

I met Simon in February 2013, I want him to write a post about himself and how we met so I won’t go into to much detail but it was about a week before my stroke ‘anniversary’. We started texting straight away and when I told him that it was two years since my stroke he said ‘we need to celebrate, why don’t you Jordanne and Sarah (Scott, who he had met the week before at a connect group) come into London and we can go for dinner?’ To this day he claims it was strictly a ‘friends’ thing although I’m skeptical!By the end of the evening I knew I liked him and the girls had commented that they felt like they were on our date.

Not long after this he took me on our first date by coming to Brighton spur of the moment when it snowed, we went for Thai and he returned to London the same evening. For our second date he took me to a vegetarian restaurant in holburn it was absolutely delicious and I knew then that I was onto a keeper! We became ‘official’ by the end of March.

It just so happened that towards the end of May I received an email from a lady at the BBC who had found my CV online and wanted to know if I was interested in meeting to discuss I job role. I explained my situation and was told to definitely still come along as they have a part time role available with opportunities to increase hours in the future. I went along and crossed my fingers and about two weeks after the meeting I received the job offer. I started working there on July 3rd and am absolutely loving it!Although I was sad to leave my part time job at Posture People - they had been so kind and understanding to me and I really did enjoy it there - I couldn’t wait to be part of a company like the BBC! Talk about a foot in the door!

Me and Simon had already discussed moving in together if I got the job and last Saturday we finally moved into our new home in London! We absolutely love it and I really couldn’t be happier! I know I don’t update my blog that often anymore but just wanted people who follow it (if there are any anymore!) especially those who have had strokes or know someone who has…despite how hard it seems at the beginning and will continue to be, having a stroke doesn’t necessarily mean the end of your life - it could just be the beginning!

[bitch-kraft]

We are disabled not because of our disabilities, but because of physical and attitudinal barriers put by society.

Svetlana Kouznetsova, from “Accessibility and Ignorance” (via bitch-kraft)

[reasonsmysoniscrying]

"His legs are too short for his new tricycle." Submitted By: Deborah M. Location: Washington, United States 

[lifestrokeadventures]

In other news.....

[lifestrokeadventures]

My Fixers project was also picked up by ITV Meridian who aired this lovely broadcast in my  2013. 

[lifestrokeadventures]

For anyone who hasn't seen it this is the project I completed with Fixers who work with young people to help them 'fix' something about the future. I wanted to create an advert to raise awareness of Strokes in young people so here it is!  

[lifestrokeadventures]

An unexpected life after stroke...

Two years ago I could barely walk to the end of the street, was looking forward to returning to university but had no idea what the future would hold for me... I never imagined that by the time I turned 24 I would have graduated with a first, backpacked around Thailand for three weeks, been headhunted for a job at the BBC or moved to London with my incredible boyfriend Simon...

I met Simon in February 2013, I want him to write a post about himself and how we met so I won't go into to much detail but it was about a week before my stroke 'anniversary'. We started texting straight away and when I told him that it was two years since my stroke he said 'we need to celebrate, why don't you Jordanne and Sarah (Scott, who he had met the week before at a connect group) come into London and we can go for dinner?' To this day he claims it was strictly a 'friends' thing although I'm skeptical!By the end of the evening I knew I liked him and the girls had commented that they felt like they were on our date.

Not long after this he took me on our first date by coming to Brighton spur of the moment when it snowed, we went for Thai and he returned to London the same evening. For our second date he took me to a vegetarian restaurant in holburn it was absolutely delicious and I knew then that I was onto a keeper! We became 'official' by the end of March.

It just so happened that towards the end of May I received an email from a lady at the BBC who had found my CV online and wanted to know if I was interested in meeting to discuss I job role. I explained my situation and was told to definitely still come along as they have a part time role available with opportunities to increase hours in the future. I went along and crossed my fingers and about two weeks after the meeting I received the job offer. I started working there on July 3rd and am absolutely loving it!Although I was sad to leave my part time job at Posture People - they had been so kind and understanding to me and I really did enjoy it there - I couldn't wait to be part of a company like the BBC! Talk about a foot in the door!

Me and Simon had already discussed moving in together if I got the job and last Saturday we finally moved into our new home in London! We absolutely love it and I really couldn't be happier! I know I don't update my blog that often anymore but just wanted people who follow it (if there are any anymore!) especially those who have had strokes or know someone who has...despite how hard it seems at the beginning and will continue to be, having a stroke doesn't necessarily mean the end of your life - it could just be the beginning!

[lifestrokeadventures]

#spoilt

[lifestrokeadventures]

random band with my @gigbuddy! TunaBunny @ the Hope. Yep, we don't know who they are either...

[lifestrokeadventures]

#newjob #lifeafterstroke #casual #hashtag