Sarah's story
As the wife of Jamie, a young stroke survivor, Sarah encourages other survivors and loved ones to not give up.
Sarah, a primary school teacher, lets her students know they are stronger than they think they are. In the past few years, life has thrown a few curve balls for her and husband Jamie, so she speaks from her heart.
Jamie and Sarah have known each other for nine years and have been married for six. They met in Christchurch where Jamie was involved with earthquake rebuild work. Sarah had just returned from working in Australia and a mutual colleague and friend introduced them over lunch.
“When we got back to the office, she said to me, ‘Are you okay? You didn't say anything, you were so quiet,’” Sarah recalls with a smile, “So I think she knew.”
In November 2019, the couple got married but life turned out to be anything but the honeymoon they were planning. On 14th December 2019, Jamie experienced a haemorrhagic stroke. Any plans to go on a break with one-year-old Archie, would go on hold.
Jamie credits his wife with saving his life.
He wasn’t feeling well and had come home for a lie-down.
“I was about to go shopping but I thought I would check on him and let him know… I noticed his face had drooped and his speech was slurred. I thought, ‘That's really weird,’ I went downstairs but something in my gut said, ‘Don't go. Stick around.'"
Concerned, Sarah went back upstairs and looked at her husband again.
“’This isn’t normal, it’s not right,’ I thought. I called Healthline and they asked me what I had noticed. They said, ‘Can you go back upstairs and ask Jamie to put his hands above his head?’”
Sarah says she had a hard time believing it could be a stroke. Jamie was so young. Nevertheless, emergency help was on its way. With no family close by to support them, the couple decided that one of Jamie’s mates would accompany him to hospital.
Sarah was literally left holding one-year-old Archie.
Jamie’s diagnosis confirmed he’d had a stroke, but he was determined to be home for Christmas.
Sarah never doubted he would, however celebrations would be very different.
More glass half full than empty, Sarah, says the timing couldn’t have been better with the school holidays and the couple were grateful for the support of family - some of whom had travelled across the world to be with them. While there was some dysfunction going on, they had to pull together.
“It brought some healing for all of us in a way.”
That first year turned out to be a very busy one. Plans were already afoot to move house but there was also another unexpected surprise.
“Jamie had said to me one day, ‘I think maybe we should just have one child because of the stroke. Two might be a bit full on.’”
Life had different plans, however. One year to the day of Jamie’s stroke, the couple welcomed second son Flynn into the world.
Sarah and Flynn moved straight into their new home from the birthing unit.
On top of all of this, it was during the time of the COVID pandemic.
Sarah wants everyone to know there is hope with life after stroke and encourages everyone to find and enjoy those moments.
“I can think of quite a cool memory that I have is Jamie, Archie, myself and Jamie's mom. We went out for dinner, and it was the first time we'd all left the house together. We also went for a short stroll with his crutch. It gave it away but, just for a short amount of time, it just felt normal, and it was nice.”
Sarah wants people caring for stroke survivors to know it’s OK to be real about the circumstances and to reach out for help.