Ciara Murray's stroke story - Strength through support

Ciara Murray, 33, from Enniskillen, Northern Ireland had a stroke at 37 weeks' pregnant in October 2015. Ciara, 8 years later is still part of the stroke group that helped her post stroke and she is now the person helping support newly diagnosed stroke survivors. To find support in your local area, visit: https://stroke.org.uk/northern-ireland

Feeling unwell at the time, Ciara went for a lie down - but she didn't make it to the bed and instead collapsed on the bedroom floor where she was unable to move for seven hours.

'I was so frightened. I just had to close my eyes and hoped that the time would go quickly until my husband John came home.”

She was rushed to the hospital and had surgery but was kept in an induced coma for 10 days.
“When I woke up I couldn’t speak, I just kept pointing to my stomach to ask if my baby was ok. I couldn't believe it when the nurse said my baby James was all ok. When he first lay on me it was amazing.”

Ciara’s rehabilitation journey was a difficult one. For a month John and James took the 160-mile round trip every day to see Ciara. She returned to Enniskillen only to have to return to Belfast for further rehab.

'It was hell knowing that I had to leave the baby again.' After her release from hospital in April 2016, Ciara returned home and adapted to looking after her six-month-old baby.
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Stroke Association. Finding strength through support.
https://stroke.org.uk