Thank you for sharing your story Cory.
If you have a story that you would like to share send it, with a photo (if you like), and we'll add it to our page.
Survivor's Stories - Story of a young family man
Cory's Story ...
My story begins on 19th April, 1990. I was a 29 years old, successful self employed builder with a great family. Married for 7 years with two children aged 4 and 9 weeks.
Everything was going just great, plenty of work, making good money and getting down to the beach with my surfboard whenever possible, until I dropped a handful of nails at work without realizing. I then went dizzy and light headed, so I left work immediately to go to the doctor. My GP of 29 years, said I was "tired, stressed and overworked." He told me to have a weekend off and return in one week.
I returned twice before the week was up complaining of the same symptoms, lack of control of fingers and light headedness, to be given the same answer both times. Whilst in the car on the way to the surgery on the day I was requested to return, I suffered what I was told in hospital two days later was a major Stroke cause unknown.
A day or so later it was discovered I had a rare disease of the arteries called ' Takayasu's arteritis'. I remained in hospital for four weeks, then was transferred to a rehabilitation hospital where I remained as an inpatient for about 8 weeks.
During this time many goals were set and all were achieved. The greatest to be out of the wheelchair and on my feet for my 30th birthday. It was a goal I worked harder than ever to reach and not only was I handed a walking stick and had my wheelchair confiscated, but I was also discharged from hospital. Which meant a birthday at home with my family.
I suppose this stage is where the frustration was to really set in. I was only focused on getting back on my feet and getting home at this stage. Now I had to think about returning to work and getting my family and my life back to some sort of normality. I continued to return to the Rehab. hospital every day as an out-patient for about 5 months. Driving myself 30mins to rehab. and back each day, was great for my morale instead of relying on someone else as I had to for most other things.
My next step involved going to C.R.S. (Commonwealth Rehabilitation Services) where the main aim was 'return to work', with some physio and hydro thrown in. This was great, but the 'return to work assistance' left a bit to be desired. A workplace trial was arranged in the property management department, at a local real estate office. During which time I attended night school and completed my real estate sub agents licence. Twelve months later, I gained paid employment at another local real estate, this time in sales. This lasted two years, which wasn't bad considering the effects it had on me physically, with very long hours and very little time off to rest.
I have now had the same job for three years as a sales representative for Australian Furniture Timbers. This involves being on the road 5 days a week, covering all of Victoria and Canberra and being away from home for up to a week at a time. Selling timber to a variety of users, including showing timbers and giving talks to woodwork classes, which I thought at first would be a bit daunting but turns out to be a lot of fun. With as much interest shown in my disability and what happened to me as the products I was showing.
The experience of having a Stroke has taught me many valuable things, such as how very important family and friends are. To always improvise never compromise and if you want to do something or what something bad enough, nothing will stop you.
Finally, all of us who have survived and beaten a Stroke are far superior to anyone else, because every day, even ten years on, we kick a bit more arse and achieve something for ourselves every single day. WHO ELSE can do that?
Thank you for sharing your story Cory.
If you have a story that you would like to share send it, with a photo (if you like), and we'll add it to our page.
