`Iran my own Montessori school in Harold's Cross for 30 years. For 10 years before my stroke, I competed in the European world veterans' championships for running and pole-vaulting; I ran 16 full marathons in Dublin, London, New York, Boston and Berlin, and I was national coach for gymnastics. I was also competing with the Dublin Swimming Club and studying psychology in the Open University. I was so active; I couldn't see the wood for the trees. I was always running after myself.
I was doing so much before the stroke - but my life is so different now. Every aspect of my life has changed for the better. I don't care about competition anymore; it doesn't matter whether I come first or last, whereas before the stroke it mattered very much. I hope to do the next world championships in pole-vault and running. It won't worry me if I get first or last place, but I'll be bloody grateful to be there.
No way did my athletic activity contribute to my stroke, but my lack of recovery between athletic competitions may have been a factor. I never, ever slept well. I might only sleep two hours a night, for the past 30 years. I never gave myself a chance to recover from various athletic events. Another factor was that I was in Russia a few days before the stroke and flew home via the west of the US, where I attended a wedding. I came home to Dublin and a few days later I had my stroke. There is a theory that there is a greater risk of stroke after long hours of commercial air travel because people are so cramped in their seats, which makes them prone to blood clots. My health at the time of the stroke was quite good: my cholesterol was high-normal and my blood pressure was high-normal, so there was never, ever any worry about me at all when I saw my doctor.
When I had the stroke, I was paralysed down the right side of my entire body and I lost speech and the ability to read and write. That never bothered me. All I could say was `Jesus, I was lucky.' It never struck me about dying and I had no sense of foreboding.
Within two weeks I was walking again. When I was unable to speak, I had a great laugh with people about that. I wouldn't be able to say what I wanted to say and I'd say it all wrong, but it didn't matter that I wasn't getting anywhere, so what? Go on to the next thing. Speech and reading and writing didn't matter at the end of the day.
My main support systems have been the stroke unit at Baggot Street Hospital, my running club, my acupuncturist and my cardiac consultant. At Baggot Street, I have had speech therapy. At the beginning I couldn't spell two-letter words but I am very much better now. I also go to my psychologist - and that has been a whole other ball game. I was having panic attacks and I wouldn't be able to cross the road or to walk up the road because if I met somebody I wouldn't know what to do about it. Should I go around them, or through them or what? I felt terribly anxious.
At the stroke unit, they encouraged me to start running again and after a time I was able to handle being out on the street. It just took practice, over and over again, and it was better each time. The occupational therapist in Baggot Street hospital also recognised that it was very important to me to have my independence through driving and she encouraged me to get behind the wheel and do my driving test all over again, which I passed first time.
I'm in the Sportsworld running club, which has been a huge influence on my recovery because I was back at the club within a month of my stroke. They are extraordinary people there. One of them would always leave me up to the club and another would always leave me home. We also go hill-walking and for theatre nights.
My acupuncture man (Michael Gygax) has also been a huge influence. He was treating me for the stroke and treated my mouth, which was crooked due to the stroke, and has now returned to normal completely. He has also worked on my sleep patterns, so I'm sleeping perfectly now for the first time in 30 years.
I'm also doing yoga twice a day, which calms me down, and I'm paying attention to my diet. I eat much, much more fruit and vegetables than in the past. I've taken out dairy products completely, also coffee and tea. I drink camomile tea instead.
There's a woman up the road who says to me when I pass, `They'll make a new woman out of you yet' and I'm bearing her out. Life is never quite the same after a stroke, but it can be very much better. My grandchildren call me "supergran".
In conversation with Kathryn Holmquist
There will be a free public lecture on stroke prevention in the Education and Research Centre, St Vincent's Hospital, Dublin tonight at 8 p.m.
For support on dealing with life after a stroke, contact the Volunteer Stroke Scheme, 249 Crumlin Road, Dublin 12. Tel 01-4559036 and 01-8318954.