Team Tom

My Story

My Story

It was Easter Saturday 2021, and we had just put the kids to bed including our youngest Noah who was only 6 weeks old, excited for an early Easter egg hunt the next day. J had just finished hiding the kids easter eggs throughout the lounge room, so we decided to sit back and relax with a glass of wine while watching Port Power lose, it was looking like a good night.

 About 15 minutes later I was sitting on the couch and went to raise my glass for a drink, but I struggled to hold it steady (It was my first glass). I put it back, then tried again, and this time nearly spilled it. Suddenly, I felt a rush of pain slowly making its way down my entire right side. I told J to immediately ‘call an ambulance’. I was very confused by the sound of my own voice.

J spoke to SAAS, who arrived at our house in around six minutes. The paramedics were amazing, and to this day, I think of those two incredible humans who came to our aid that night. They started by checking my blood pressure, which was around 200+/170. One of them whispered in J’s ear, “We think he is having a stroke”.

You can only imagine how J was feeling. I had this overwhelming sense that something was very wrong. I remember saying to J before they closed the door, “Please tell the kids I love them, and if something happens, please make sure they remember me.”

I was rushed with red and blue lights to the RAH and remembered hearing the ambulance handover to the emergency team. I knew then that this could be it for me.

To make matters worse, J was left back at the house with three kids asleep on Easter Eve, and I was alone. My mum and dad arrived shortly after my arrival at the RAH, and Jenna frantically called friends and family.

They could not find the bleed or blockage, so medical intervention could not be sought. It was like I had hopped on a train with a one-way ticket to a place I had never been, with no stops pencilled in. Around 1:00 AM, all my symptoms disappeared, and the doctors were left very confused. I could talk, all sensory issues went away, and everything felt normal again. It was the weirdest thing ever and sadly the last time I would feel normal again. Thirty minutes later, it came back with a vengeance.

That night, I technically had two TIAs and then the big one, leaving me completely shattered. I spent nearly a week at the RAH, then moved to Hampstead Rehab, where I started to learn to walk, talk, and regain independent living skills.

If it wasn’t for my wife, Jack, Charlie, Noah, and all my friends who kept visiting and loving me, I am not sure what the outcome would have been.

I still live with pain down my right side some days. I still get tired at times and struggle with simple tasks and mobility, but I hide that well. However, I am very grateful to be here and have a second chance at life. Most only get one. There is a lot I have left out for J and the kids sake easter morning, but stroke is terrifying, and I do not wish it upon anyone.

Our team is taking on the challenge of Stride4Stroke and raising funds for Stroke Foundation!

Hi there, we are taking on the challenge of Stride4Stroke and raising funds for Stroke Foundation to help prevent stroke, save lives and enhance recovery.

In the next 11 minutes, someone, somewhere in Australia is going to have a stroke.

Stroke is one of Australia's biggest killers and doesn't discriminate; it affects anyone, anytime. It claims more lives than breast cancer in women and prostate cancer in men. And incredibly, up to 120 babies and 400 children have a stroke in Australia each year.

By supporting us, you'll be contributing to sustaining vital programs and resources that Stroke Foundation provides, including:

Preventing Stroke:

• StrokeSafe Talks
• Australia's Biggest Blood Pressure Check
• Information Resources

 Saving Lives:

• F.A.S.T. (Face, Arms, Speech, Time) Signs of Stroke Awareness
• Living Guidelines for Stroke Management
• InformMe Website for Health Professionals

 Enhancing Recovery:

• StrokeLine
• My Stroke Journey
• EnableMe Website for Survivors of Stroke

Your support goes beyond just a donation; it's a lifeline for individuals at risk of stroke and survivors of stroke.

Thank you for supporting us. Together we can change the state of stroke in Australia for generations to come.