“I walked my daughter down the aisle and delivered a speech to 86 guests… thank you Hobbs!”
Prior to his stroke, John was retired and living with his wife, in a home they had recently built together. He had an active personal life, went to the gym two times per week, as well as engaged in regular yoga sessions. Alongside these, he also regularly partook in cycling, either once or twice a week, and was going out for as long as 30 miles. Embracing this fit and healthy lifestyle, John was enjoying his retirement, and was looking forward to continuing it in his new home with his family.
However, everything changed when John suffered a stroke in mid-2019. The stroke severely affected his right side, leaving his arm and leg disabled, and his speech impaired. Two weeks after the stroke, John began his rehabilitation journey at a Hobbs Rehabilitation residential unit close-by, helping him regain control of his body again. John’s primary goal was to be able to return to regular exercise, especially cycling. More importantly, he wanted to build his body strength enough so that he could drive again, as this had been seriously impacted by the stroke. At the residential unit, the therapists started treatment exercises on John’s disabled right side, particularly his arm and leg, and began to support his speech rehabilitation.
John’s rehabilitation journey with Hobbs Rehabilitation continued at our outpatient centres in Winchester (2019-2020) and South East (from October 2020). Working closely with our Clinical Neuropsychologist, Philippa, and our Specialist Neurological Physiotherapists, John’s focus during his rehabilitation was comprehensive. Due to the stroke, it was a struggle to walk and speak properly, as well as to drive a car, so his one goal was very simple: “Fix everything!” Determined to improve every aspect of his recovery, John worked on getting his leg function corrected for walking, strengthened his arm to enable two-handed driving, and improved his speech to converse comfortably in both one-to-one and group settings.
Initially, John believed he would recover from the stroke within three to four months, but as timed passed, he recognised the need for ongoing support. This led to more clinical neuropsychology sessions, to boost his confidence and independence in his recovery, and more targeted physiotherapy as he aimed to pass his driving assessment. In between all this, John also continued to complete as much regular exercise as he could, with the hope that this would increase his body strength and further his rehabilitation progress.
John’s perseverance paid off; he passed his driving assessment in 2021 and then went on to earn his Advanced Driving Certificate in 2023, and ultimately passing his driving test again in January 2024. Due to the tremendous efforts from himself, and with the support from the multidisciplinary team at Hobbs Rehabilitation, John was able to go above and beyond to achieve his number one priority of being able to drive again.
The rehabilitation has had a profound and positive impact on John’s day-to-day life. Though John occasionally finds himself weighed down by his circumstances, he has come to understand that everyone living with a neurological condition faces their own unique set of challenges, and that he is not alone. This understanding has helped him accept his new reality and motivated him to keep striving forward in his journey toward improvement. Watching his own recovery helping him reach his goals of being able to walk, speak more confidently, and drive, has pushed him to keep challenging himself and embrace new possibilities.
John has since become a ‘Digital Champion’ for a local adult care home he is closely connected to, supporting residents with their computer skills and improving their understanding of modern technology. In September 2024, John took up the voluntary post of Treasurer for the Southampton branch of the Institute of Advanced Motorists. He is incredibly grateful that after all his hard work during his rehabilitation, that enabled him to power through all his driving assessments, he is able to give back to his community in this aspect.
Emma Jewer, South East Centre Lead and Vestibular and Concussion Service Lead, comments, “John is an inspiration! He has worked tirelessly to achieve his goals. When I joined his rehab team in 2020 his focus was to improve his hand control to return to driving. Not only did he achieve this, but he went on to achieve an advanced driving qualification – that was a real physical and speech fluency challenge. John is a shining example of someone who never gives up and works hard to achieve his goals. We have been privileged to be a part of his rehab journey. Well done John!”
John’s journey is a testament to the power of determination, comprehensive rehabilitation, and the support of a dedicated team. His story inspires others facing similar challenges, showing that with perseverance and the right help, it’s possible to regain independence and find new purpose after a life-altering event. Through his journey, John has learned a lot about himself, and this has facilitated the confidence to achieve all that he has done since his stroke recovery.