'I just never thought it could happen to someone so young,' said the Leeds fashion blogger.
When Bridie Kirsopp woke up with a severe headache, which quickly developed into blurred vision, vomiting, and leaving her unable to stand up, she knew she wasn’t well. However, at 17 years of age, she had no idea she was having a stroke.
Immediately after her stroke, Bridie was left with severe fatigue and weakness on the left side of her body which, after a few months, developed into severe pain that “burnt from head to toe”. Bridie says she was offered no help to deal with the symptoms which she battled with daily. The severe side effects meant Bridie couldn’t enjoy being a teenager or do what her friends were doing as she entered her 20s. She said: “I was just so caught up in healing and controlling my pain. I didn't have time nor the good health to do the normal teen things like parties, dating and university. It’s all I've known through my most important years.”
As well as being left physically unable to do as much as her peers, Bridie’s psychological state has also suffered. She said: “The mental impact has definitely been worse than the physical, and that is saying something with the debilitating pain I have.” Bridie opts to use the term ‘survivor’ as a way of adapting to “her new self after trauma”. She said: “I cannot imagine being me without my survivor identity. I've lost a lot, but gained so much more and I've figured out what truly matters in life.”
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