Cathy was only 36 when she had a stroke

This week we focus on the story of a would-be nurse inspired to take up her training following a stroke.

When Cathy Evans had a stroke at the age of just 36 she almost had to resign herself to sitting immobile in her chair day in and day out.

She could not talk and was unable to care for her two young children, the youngest of whom was just 18 months old.

But slowly she started to recover, enrolled in college courses and she is now poised to start her nurse training to enable her to give care and attention to other heart problem patients.

"I had never wanted to be a nurse until I had my stroke, but then I was ill for five years.

Problems

"I was blind for two months and I could not speak.

"I just used to sit in the chair and dribble. I just felt trapped in my body."

I didn't think I could do it because I was having panic attacks just going into the shops Cathy Evans

Slowly Cathy learned to speak again, but found her mind still played tricks on her. She was unable to remember certain words and worried about not knowing the lyrics of songs.

"I told my husband that I couldn't remember any words to songs and he bought me The Proclaimer's 'Letters from America'. I hated that song before my stroke, but now I knew every word."

She also worried about building bridges with her children, who had been very young when she fell ill.

As she recovered she realised she had missed almost five years of their lives.

"I told my husband Adrian that I had nothing to say to the kids. So he took us all to a Pizza Hut one day. He said he was just popping out and then he left us alone for a couple of hours.

"I had to order for them and ask them what they wanted and talk to them and by the time he came back I was laughing with them."

Challenges

But as Cathy came to grips with day to day life she realised that she wanted a little bit more from life.

"I said that I was bored at home and my husband Adrian said why didn't I do a course.

"But I didn't think I could do it because I was having panic attacks just going into the shops.

"I signed up though and for the first few weeks I couldn't spell anything. I couldn't spell frog, I kept on writing down fog instead and I could not work out what was wrong with it."

But a spelling test at the end of the course showed Cathy had become one of the star pupils.

Her study became an important goal and she would stay up until 2am some days to get her homework finished.

Cathy also signed up for a counselling course and then applied to become a home carer.

Four years later she got a job as a health care assistant at Harefield Hospital, Middlesex.

"When I got the job I could not believe it."

Studies

She then signed up for her NVQ level 3 and is waiting to start her nurses training this Autumn and to fulfil her ambition to go back to intensive care as a nurse.

"This is going to be a whole new life. I can't wait it has been a difficult time, an absolute nightmare."

Sandra Davies, Nurse Careers Advisor, explained the hospital offered careers advice to help patients like Cathy progress through the career ladders.

And she said she tried to meet every new nursing starter to ensure they are aware of all the options open to them.