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Nursery nurse Marion shares the story of her recovery from stroke
A nursery nurse who has worked in the NHS for 48 years caring for mothers and babies, has described how a stroke left her in a “very dark place”, and how the care and support she received set her on the road to recovery.
Marion Rolph, 70, who works at our Trust, had a left-sided stroke in April 2021. “I laid on the bed and felt as if I was going to faint. I could not see, swallow or speak properly, it was very scary,” she said. An ambulance was called and Marion was brought to the stroke unit on G8 ward at the West Suffolk Hospital, where she has worked since 1992.
“The staff on G8 were brilliant, I cannot thank them enough,” she said. “They work so hard, nothing is too much trouble for them. I can’t describe how hard they work to look after people. I know I am lucky to be here.”
Marion said the stroke had left her fearing she would never work, or travel, again. “I asked myself, ‘is this how it is now?’ The neurological side was the worst, I had no idea of the impact a stroke has on your mood and mental state. It was horrendous, I would cry all the time, and felt so anxious, even suicidal on some days. I thought I was going mad.”
Once she was discharged home from the hospital, Marion was cared for by our early stroke discharge team, who stayed in close touch with her, and provided physiotherapy. “I was always determined to do all I could, even when I was on the acute ward. Having a positive attitude is so important,” she said.
She also has great praise for the support she received from Livability ICANHO, a charity that specialises in rehabilitation for people who have suffered a brain injury or stroke. “They were great, the only thing I would say is if I had been able to access their services sooner, I might have had fewer dark days.”
Marion said she did feel quite lonely at times: “For the three or four months everyone is around you, but then I didn’t feel I could burden them with my woes all the time. On bad days I did feel very isolated, but I reached out for all the help and support that is available to everyone who has had a stroke.”
Marion had 11 months off work, and then had a phased return. She now works a 12-hour shift once a week in the neonatal unit, which she said she was thrilled to be able to do. “I am lucky in that this is not a heavy job, so I could come back to it. The Trust and my manager Karen Ranson have been brilliant, and it was so good to know they did not want to lose the experience I can bring to the neonatal unit.”
Marion swims and cycles and has gradually been able to carry out all her normal household tasks. “I had to relearn everything, slowly, pacing myself and gradually adding more. The only things that still challenge me are hills and stairs – but I make myself use the stairs. Every day the negative thoughts pop into my head, but then they go. I still have the odd day of self-pity but very seldom, it has diminished with time.”
Executive chief nurse Sue Wilkinson said: “Marion’s story is so very powerful, thank you Marion, for your bravery and honesty in sharing your experience. Marion has been and remains extremely motivated to continue to be able to work and carry out her day-to-day activities. I am thrilled that Karen and the team have been able to support Marion returning to work and to be able to continue to support our babies and their parents. I wish her all the very best in her ongoing recovery and thank her for her dedication.”
After training as a nursery nurse, Marion joined the NHS in 1974 in the maternity unit at Newmarket Hospital, and now cares for babies and parents in the neonatal unit at the West Suffolk Hospital. Her area of expertise is in supporting parents to breastfeed, often very small babies who have been born prematurely or with physical challenges.
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