Bishop Auckland grandad woke up unable to walk or talk
Ellie Simmons-Menzies, 23, from Bishop Auckland, is supporting Stroke Awareness' Make May Purple campaign and climbing Roseberry Topping.
Colin Smith, 68, a self-employed decorator, tried to get up for work as usual in February this year – but suddenly he couldn’t walk, could barely talk, and was extremely dizzy.
Ellie, her partner Jack Dinsdale and Colin’s wife, Debbie, struggled but managed to get him into the car and rushed to Darlington Hospital.
Ellie said: “It was terrifying for all of us. At that point, we didn’t know for certain it was a stroke, but his memory began to deteriorate rapidly. He couldn’t remember what had happened, his date of birth, what year it was, where he was, or even who we were. It was heart breaking.”
Colin was transferred that same night to the stroke unit at Durham Hospital where scans confirmed he had a blood clot in his brain, which caused the stroke. By then, he had completely lost movement and feeling in his left arm and leg and had a slight facial droop.
Ellie Simmons-Menzies, Jack Dinsdale, Colin and Debbie Smith (Image: Stroke Association)
Colin would go on to spend eight weeks in Bishop Auckland Hospital where he also started rehabilitation before being discharged early in April. Colin has had ongoing physiotherapy but there he has also had to navigate major cognitive and emotional problems too.
Ellie said: “The care he received in hospital was incredible. His speech began to come back after about a week, supported by speech therapy, but in those early days he really struggled to find words and communicate, which was incredibly difficult for all of us to witness.
“Movement has been his biggest challenge. He lost all feeling and movement down his left side – both his arm and leg were completely unresponsive. For someone who has always been so active and independent, that was one of the hardest things to come to terms with.”
Despite all he continues to go through, Ellie and the family are delighted and shocked in equal amounts at the progress he has made.
“Considering how serious his stroke was, the progress he has made so far has been amazing. His strength and determination have been so inspiring – we always knew he wouldn’t give up and we are incredibly proud of him.”
Ellie now wants to take on this challenge to raise funds for the charity but perhaps more than that, to raise awareness of stroke and the heart breaking affect they can have for survivors and their families.
Colin and Debbie Smith (Image: Stroke Association)
“I’ll be completely honest, until this happened, I didn’t know much about strokes at all and it’s been a really scary, worrying, heart breaking time for us all. Too often, it takes something happening close to home for people to really pay attention, but it shouldn’t be that way. I want to start conversations, share information for people to learn the signs and do whatever I can to raise both awareness and funds.
“We are incredibly lucky to have Grandad here with us. A stroke doesn’t wait for convenience or permission. It happens without warning, changing life in a moment, not just for the person affected, but for everyone around them. The reality of recovery, of relearning, of resilience, is something no one truly understands until they are living it.”
“If I could say anything to others facing this, it would be to take things one day at a time. Recovery and adjustment don’t follow a straight path, and that’s okay.
"Lean on the people around you, and don’t be afraid to ask for help when you need it. One thing we’ve learned is to appreciate every bit of progress Grandad has made no matter how small it may seem.
“There will be days when you feel strong and hopeful, and others where it all feels too heavy. That’s part of this journey. Try not to measure your strength by the hard days – you’re showing up, and that alone is something to be proud of.”
The charity’s Make May Purple campaign takes place during Stroke Awareness Month and challenges supporters to do something bold, bright and meaningful, to support the 1.4 million people affected by stroke in the UK.
Samantha Jones, associate director for the North East at the Stroke Association, said: “This May, you can do anything to raise awareness and vital funds – just don’t forget to wear your purple with pride.
“Every day throughout May, another 240 people will wake up to the life-changing impact of a stroke. We’re here with stroke support for every survivor and their loved ones, for however long it takes."
Support Ellie by visiting justgiving.com/page/ellie-simmons
