At a stroke
The rollercoaster of living with someone who has had a stroke
Huw Watkins' wife suffered a brainstem stroke in May 2003. For the next six months he found himself on an emotional rollercoaster as he looked after her, and learnt to look after himself at the same time. When someone close to you has a stroke, it is not only they who need support. You find yourself thrust into a new and frightening world, in which you often feel lost and helpless.
Huw had to deal with medical professionals, liaise with family and friends, and cope with his own emotions. He also had to grasp a whole raft of new skills and concepts, from medical information about strokes to basic household tasks that were new to him - he'd never cooked before, for example, or used the washing machine.
Huw kept a record of the months following his wife's stroke, and has now put his experience into a book, At a Stroke - The rollercoaster of living with someone who has had a stroke. Unlike most books for people who have been affected by stroke, Huw's story is intended to help other carers of stroke patients - a group for whom very little is written. He combines his recollections with useful advice for others travelling on the rollercoaster after him.
"How I wish I could have read it when I was caring for my mother" Miriam Margolyes
"A moving personal testimony" Joan Bakewell
"Comforting, helpful and practical" Baroness Warnock
To buy this book and help raise funds for The Stroke Association follow the link below:
http://www.whiteladderpress.com/pages/cart/
product.asp?ProductID=100&TID=cde763Stk
At a Stroke ISBN 0 954821 99 8 Paperback £7.99 192pp 216mm x 138mm
