Last Reviewed: June 2022

In early 2016 I suffered a stroke, which was a pivotal event in my life. Six+ years on, I guess I am as recovered as I ever will be. It left me with a non-functional (left) hand and foot and I have a different outlook on life.

I have a wife and a grown-up, left-home daughter who is estranged. I keep them out of the blog, just to respect their privacy.

I live in a rural location just outside Salisbury, Wiltshire, UK. I am about 20 miles from Stonehenge, if that means anything.

Pre-Stroke:

My academic background is physics and astrophysics. I studied to degree level and still find these subjects fascinating.

In my first job, as a scientist, I ended up focussing on IT and my second, I moved into IT proper. Starting as a programmer, I dabbled as a Project Manager but settled on architecture and design. I have worked for banks in both London and New York City (I once had a visa to work in the USA). In the few years leading up to the stroke, I took a career break. I was very active, my first love was bicycles and I became a mechanic.

Stroke:

In February/March 2016, I was in hospital for five weeks. I was deeply unimpressed by the standard of the care I received, and this has been known to flavour my writing! Up to that point, I’d never made use of the NHS.

I was left with a damaged left side. I left hospital in a chair and have learned to walk again. Long-term, my hand and foot are immobile, everything else on that side is weaker.

The damage to my hand means that I no longer scribe, don’t drive, and this blog, which started off as a recovery journal, is typed one-handed.

My vision was also affected, and I usually prefer to listen to web pages rather than to use my eyes. My technology allows me to listen to most posts, but not all, but not comments which I normally skip.

I have hypertension and diabetic, presumably one caused the stroke, although no firm cause was discovered. These too, are subjects which I have written about.

Post-stroke:

The stroke has had less obvious effects like my stamina, my mobility, but also anxiety. Having previously commuted large distances, I now develop health-based applications from home, while keeping an eye out for local opportunities. To date, I have released four applications, all of which have been aimed at health management and are available as freeware.

Since the stroke I have also performed voluntary work, which ramped up during the pandemic. Note, however, that this blog is a personal blog – I do not speak for anybody else.

The stroke has meant exposure to both the UK’s health system, and its benefits system, at a relatively young age. My experiences are absolutely a part of this site.

I always followed politics but mostly avoided getting involved with any political party. I once dabbled with the Green Party – I fell out with them eventually but they indicate broadly where my politics lie.

I am happy to say that as my health has improved, I blog more of a pot-pourri of subjects. I regularly write creatively, so hopefully you will find something here to your taste. I try to inject humour into my writing, where I can. To this end I also pen a daily limerick – total crap but I hope it raises a smile.

If you’re still not satisfied, I penned a more detailed biography when I started the blog, in 2017. Bear in mind the age if you choose to read. I don’t maintain the page.