39-Year-Old Describes ‘Very Dark Place’ of Stroke Recovery

Vicky Prussia, aged 39, was unexpectedly informed she had suffered a stroke after being transported to King’s Mill Hospital on April 15. Her symptoms began at work, where she experienced dizziness and subsequently lost the ability to use her left hand. A resident of Newark, Ms Prussia has not been able to resume her employment since the incident. Noticing a scarcity of support networks for younger stroke survivors, she established her own organization, named Stroke 2 Strength. Recounting the initial manifestation of her symptoms, she stated: “I couldn’t bend my fingers or lift my arm up.” She added, “I started to panic and realised something was wrong.” According to Ms Prussia, subsequent medical examinations indicated that her stroke resulted from a blood clot that moved from an undiagnosed cardiac hole to her brain. Regarding her recovery process, she commented: “I struggled with my anxiety, my balance was very off and I walked with a limp.” She further explained, “My speech was very slow and I suffered with a lot of nerve pain.” She concluded, “It’s a very dark place.” She began seeking out local support organizations, but discovered that a significant number catered to an older demographic, with the majority of participants ranging from 50 to 80 years of age. She recounted: “They gave me a brief description of some of the things they’d been doing over the last couple of weeks and they’d had a choir in and played picture bingo.” She elaborated on her feelings, stating, “That made me feel even worse because I needed to get back to normal because I have an eight-year-old.” She emphasized, “I needed to be a mum as well as getting back to work.” Ms Prussia reported that she established a Facebook group in September, specifically for stroke survivors under the age of 50. The group currently has 26 members and has convened in person on two occasions. She indicated that the group has provided assistance to both herself and other members in managing their circumstances. She clarified: “Just being able to sit and talk to someone and have someone understand the anxiety that you get after a stroke, and that actually this real low mood is completely normal and that things do get better.” Joanne Ford, a member of the group, experienced a stroke in 2022 when she was 45 years old. She stated: “There was no support at all within the community of Newark.” She added, “I am now supporting Vicky with this. It’s so important to be able to support others.” The Stroke Association reports that one-fourth of individuals who survive a stroke are either of working age or younger. Sarah Adderley, the charity’s associate director for the Midlands, commented: “For a long time people did see stroke as something that happened to older people.” She continued, “So, although there is a network of stroke groups across the country, you do see that a lot of them have an older age cohort that that are attending them.” Readers can follow BBC Nottingham on Facebook, X, or Instagram. Story ideas can be submitted to eastmidsnews@bbc.co.uk or by WhatsApp at 0808 100 2210. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC disclaims responsibility for the content found on external websites. Information regarding their approach to external linking is available.