Glasgow dad tells how colleagues saved his life after sudden stroke

Chris White was chatting to colleagues at the Mental Health Foundation in Glasgow when they noticed his speech was becoming slurred and hard to understand.

They immediately raised the alarm, rushing the 57-year-old to the Royal Infirmary for a brain scan that confirmed he had suffered a life-threatening blood clot which medics needed to immediately disperse.

Chris, who lives on the Southside with his wife Fiona and daughter Hazel, says the stroke left him unable to move the left side of his body and caused permanent damage his vison.

Chris with colleagues (Image: Mark F Gibson)

He also says that without his colleagues’ swift intervention, he realises he may not be here today.

He explained: “I worked that morning as usual and in the afternoon I was having a coffee with others when I became aware that I was trying to say things, but the words were coming out all wrong.

"I sat with it for a wee while, not knowing what was happening, but concerned colleagues got a second opinion from my manager and they called a taxi to take me to Glasgow Royal Infirmary, which is about 10 minutes from our office.  

READ MORE: Wishaw gran hailed 'walking miracle' after stroke battle

“We went to A&E and within five minutes a nurse took me to a recovery area and the rapid response team came to assess me. I had a brain scan which confirmed I’d had a stroke, and the team explained that I’d be injected with a drug to disperse the clot. By that evening, I was in a high dependency unit and I stayed there for three days.

“I’m eternally grateful for the swift actions of those I work with. Their quick-thinking made all the difference to how things played out.”

Chris told how his family were called as their world was turned upside down.

(Image: Mark F Gibson) He added: “My wife arrived and we were both in shock and obviously very worried about the future. On the fourth day, I was transferred to the main stroke ward and got a couple of therapy sessions a day, two for speech difficulties and two for the physical effects. I was unable to move my left arm, my fingers were useless and I was very unsteady on my feet. My vision was also impaired, I knew I had a long road ahead of me, but I was determined to remain positive and do everything in my power to get myself back to work.”

Chris admits he thought he was too young to be struck down by a stroke and says it came as a massive shock. He hopes that by sharing his story on World Stroke Day, he can make others realise that recovery to reach a new normal is possible - with the right help.

He said: “The occupational therapists and physios got me up and walking on the ward and I eventually managed to tackle a flight of stairs and some basic tasks at the hospital. The speech and language therapy was equally intensive and I left hospital within 10 days with significant improvement.

“Early on the therapists asked me what my goals were and I told them I wanted to return to work, and that really helped us all. They developed a tailored programme and I could see that working at those steps would be my route back to some semblance of normality.

“I can’t stress enough how important it was to me to have those goals and that plan. It jolted me into action and gave me hope that there was light at the end of the tunnel. All the care I got was quick and effective, with the stress and worry reducing by the day.”

(Image: Mark F Gibson) He added: “I got support from OT, physio and speech and language therapists for another six to eight weeks after I went home. I even managed to deliver a PowerPoint presentation on mental health to the team I had worked with, which was really nice.

“Having a stroke can change so many things and I’m so grateful for the care I received. That set me up for a phased return to work within five months, however I know not everyone is as lucky.”   

More than 2,500 people in Greater Glasgow and Clyde had a stroke last year, with almost 20 per cent of those aged under 60. Almost 26,000 people in the area are living with the effects of strokes, according to the Stroke Association.

Chris turned to the charity for invaluable support to help cope with his experience.

He added: “Data shows that someone has a stroke every 53 minutes in Scotland. The help and support of the Stroke Association were fantastic and made me realise that I wasn’t alone. Just having someone to talk to about how I was feeling was a massive help, people shouldn’t sit alone as there is help for every survivor and their loved ones for as long as they need it.”

Stroke Association support is available online at stroke.org.uk or by calling the helpline on 0303 3033 100. Renfrewshire Stroke Support Group meets the first Wednesday of every month with both stroke survivors and carers welcome to both. Email Engagementteamscotland@stroke.org.uk for more details.