“Stroke has changed everything in my life.”

When I was 36 years old and pregnant with my second child, my preeclampsia (elevated blood pressure that develops during pregnancy) became too great a health risk for me and my baby. At 35 weeks pregnant, I gave birth to my daughter, Agathe, by C-section. Shortly after giving birth, I returned home to the Magdalen Islands with blood pressure medication, which I had to take until my blood pressure went back to normal. Two and a half weeks after I returned home, a health professional stopped my medication since I was in good physical shape and because he thought my blood pressure would go down by itself.

On September 13, 2021, three weeks after I had my daughter, I was at home and went upstairs to get my older son Thomas after his nap. While I was playing with him, my right leg became paralyzed. I tried to call out to the contractors who were doing some work in my basement, but no sound came out. I calmly sat down on the floor and played with my son. I didn’t want to alarm him. But then, my right arm also became paralyzed.

I just had a stroke in the left lobe of my brain, affecting the right side of my body and all my language and mathematical abilities. I had to restart from the beginning, like a kid, and rebuild my nervous system, one neuron at a time.

My spouse arrived home about 30 minutes later. I managed to mime for him to call 9-1-1, which he did immediately. The paramedics arrived soon after and drove me to the hospital, where they gave me medication to help dissolve the blood clot. I was then transported by plane to the Enfant-Jésus Hospital in Québec City. Unfortunately, the anticoagulant didn’t have the desired effect and surgery was no longer an option.

In the days that followed, our close family members moved to Québec City to support us and the kids, and they helped me with my follow-up medical appointments. I spent five months at a rehabilitation centre in Québec City. I had to resign myself to becoming left-handed, having been right-handed for 36 years, in addition to having numerous follow-ups in physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy and neuropsychology. In total, I had more than 20 appointments per week to help me with my rehabilitation. The hardest thing for me was I couldn’t take care of my children on my own.

When I returned home to the Magdalen Islands, I continued my rehab until the program ended and then I had to do it on my own. My work as a glassblower helped improve my dexterity, and I could practice talking, reading and writing with clients and suppliers. To this day, I still read out loud for at least half an hour a day to improve my abilities. I also resumed physical activities, like running, biking and Pilates. The more I exercise, the better I get, and the easier things are with my kids.

Stroke has changed everything in my life. It’s the biggest challenge I’ve ever had to face, and it still affects my day-to-day life. It has changed the way I talk, move and walk, but I’ve also made a lot of progress and I’m still getting better, which I’m so proud of, despite the difficult times and the daily challenges. After a stroke, the road to recovery is long. You have to relearn all the skills you lost. It’s a huge challenge, but progress is possible. In my recovery journey, I discovered my own resilience, strength, and self-determination.

I would like people to know that you can “heal” from a stroke, but it takes time, determination, consistency and perseverance.

• Know the FAST signs of stroke
• Learn about women's unique risk factors for stroke, and stroke signs after pregnancy
• Find out more about recovering from a stroke