Amanda's page
Amanda Jones is raising money for Stroke Association
Story
Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.
On the 21stDecember 2010 I took Sam and Ollie to a party to celebrate Max's 6th birthday, while I was there I felt dizzy and burst into tears and was unable to stop crying, this was very out of character for myself, Lynds and Adele knew that there must be something seriously wrong as I couldn’t answer any of the questions that they were asking me, I could only answer yes/no. I remember every detail of that day and what everyone was doing and saying but I just couldn’t communicate. Unfortunately they called an ambulance but due to me being conscious and able to speak we were told an ambulance would be an hours wait, nobody suspected that I was having a stroke. Our Doctors is only 5 minutes’ drive away so I was taken to there. I remember sitting in the waiting room, unable to stop crying and trying my hardest to count to ten, I knew in my mind the answer but couldn’t say the words. I was quickly seen by my GP and sent to Russell’s Hall Hospital, where I was put onto the Acute Stroke Ward. Slowly I was able to say more words, I was diagnosed as having suffered a TIA, and I was put on several types of medication. I was released on the 23rd December so that I could be with Mark and the boys at home for Christmas.
Over the following months I encountered numerous tests to try and see what may have caused the stroke. They found that I had a large Patent foramen ovale, (a hole in the heart); this was one of the factors that had caused me to suffer the stroke. I had my operation to close the hole at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, in October 2011.
When everything was happening I have never felt so scared as I wondered if every time I felt unwell or dizzy that I was about to have another TIA. But over time that feeling has gone. I was constantly tired and felt like I have supersonic hearing, I could hear loads of conversations but was unable to focus on just one. I was a person who before my TIA was very outgoing, would talk to anyone, was very bubbly , Lynd’s said that if you didn’t know me before you wouldn’t think that there was anything wrong with me, as to look at me physically I was fine. My confidence took a massive knock, I became very subdued, and felt very vulnerable, I had lost my sparkle for a time, but with lots of support from family and friends, four years on, I feel I have now got my sparkle back.
12 months ago I watched my friend Kate run the Birmingham Half Marathon and decided that if I was able to, I would love to have a go. I originally decided to tell only a few people, as I had never done any running previously and wanted to see how I got on, but I can't keep a secret and before I knew it half of Halesowen knew!! With lots of encouragement from my running buddies, Julie, Michelle, Kate, Kim, Mark, Sam and Ollie training has gone well, I ran the 10km Birmingham back in May, with lots of cheering from Lynd’s, Mum and the boys, so with under 1 week to go I shall be running the Birmingham half marathon on the 18th October, in aid of the Stroke Association, a charity which is very close to my heart.
Thank you for reading my story
Amanda xxx