Charles Bosah: How I survived Stroke

Charles Bosah's normal morning routine took a turn for the worst when he had his first experience with stroke.

“I was having a bath when I realised something had gone wrong in my head - it felt like an electric shock, so I got out of the bath and as I was walking towards my bedroom, I noticed that I was dragging my left leg. I looked into the mirror and noticed my face had changed – it had become drawn.”

He went to sit down but realised that he had lost his balance and couldn't sit up. He immediately called the ambulance but could barely speak so he had to shout his address as they couldn't understand him. The ambulance came and took him to Kings College hospital where he was examined.

He stayed in hospital for 2 nights and his health deteriorated.  After 4 weeks of treatment he started to regain some mobility and was sent home.

Having not heard about the Act FAST Stroke campaign, he had no idea what was happening to him but looking back he knows how lucky he was and is eternally grateful to the NHS medical team that helped save his life.

“I had a great experience of the NHS, they saved my life...everything they did for me that day was 100%, I can't thank them enough...even now when I go for a check-up I still thank those that helped me that day.”

He knows how essential it is to act quickly and is glad he dialled 999 when he did or the outcome could have been very different, “I know I am lucky to be here.”

After returning home, he was sent to a rehabilitation centre which helped him to walk, he still uses his crutches or a walking stick for support and his balance has been affected greatly. It has been a big change for a once active and sporty man but Charles stays positive despite his restrictive mobility and is thankful that his speech has returned and that his blood pressure is under control.

He is active in spreading information on stroke through the Lambeth Stroke Association that he belongs to and is a big supporter of the Stroke Act FAST campaign “It’s so important that we know the signs of stroke and know what do if we suspect someone is having a stroke, especially African and Caribbean people. We are at a higher risk so we need to spread the word in our community.”

Stroke is the largest cause of disability in the UK, with 85% of people requiring physiotherapy after a stroke.

A person loses 2 million nerve cells every minute that they do not receive medical treatment during a stroke and if left untreated, a stroke could result in permanent disability or death. Black people are twice as likely to have a stroke compared to the general population therefore it’s vital that we all know the signs of stroke, so that we can think and Act FAST:

Facial weakness - has their face fallen on one side?

Arm weakness - can the person raise both arms and keep them there?

Speech problems - can the person speak clearly and is their speech slurred?

Time to call 999.

For further information visit nhs.uk/actfast, www.stroke.org.uk or call 0303 303 3100.