Stroke Survivor

Andy McCann held the position of Assistant Headteacher at a secondary school in South Wales when he suffered his stroke. In addition to teaching physical education, he has competed internationally in karate and taught self-defence for many years. In 2002, he was awarded `Master Instructor of the Year' by an International Martial Arts Academy and was given an award in recognition of his outstanding contribution to martial arts in the UK. Since his stroke he has retired from teaching and is training as a clinical hypnotherapist and life coach. He lives in Cardiff, Wales, with his partner Anne.

Forewords by Robin Sieger and The Stroke Association. Introduction. Section 1: My Stroke. Stroke in context. My stroke in context. The first few days. The brain scan and confirmation of stroke. Religion finds me! Some tests to establish the cause. Meeting the Stroke Nurse. Returning home. Making progress at home. Lessons in psychology. Dogs and more therapy. Walking a new path. Section 2: What is a Stroke? An Introduction to Neuroscience. A route through the maze of information. What is a stroke? The brain - basic neuro-anatomy for the lay person. The blood supply to the brain -basic vessel anatomy for the lay person. A physiological warning of stroke -Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA). The onset of stroke. Why stroke occurs. The effects of stroke. How an individual can be affected having survived a stroke. The prognosis following stroke. Section 3: A Toolkit for Recovery and Prevention. Players to the game. What is the players to the game approach? Can alternative and complimentary therapies be used as players? How can the value of each player be assessed? The players I used. Other players. Section 4: Stroke Statistics. Using statistics. A global perspective. Australia. Canada. Europe. New Zealand. Southern Africa. United Kingdom. United States. Stroke warning statistics. Age related statistics. Gender related statistics. Ethically related statistics. Health and lifestyle related stroke related statistics. Funding and cost implications. Random facts. The future. Section 5: Financial Matters. Financial worries - an unavoidable situation in life. State benefits. Employment statutory sick pay (ESSP). Incapacity benefit. Private policies. Critical illness. Holiday Insurance. Planning ahead. Returning to work. Conclusion. A final word from Anne.