Sharon.

Sharon inspires me. Sharon had a stroke at 37 years of age and now battles with huge neuro fatigue, time management for just simple things like a coffee date. From talking to her last night she has such a great positive sense of humour and made me laugh so much.

She finds it hard to walk far and has mobility difficulties and has to use a wheelchair sometimes. Her positive determined, inspiring attitude comes in to play as she would rather just go to one shop by walking instead of three by wheelchair. This shows sheer determination that she doesn't give up walking knowing the fact she can't walk that far. To others who don't suffer mobility problems this may seem like a small goal, but it's not, this is a huge goal. The thought of you walking to that one shop inspires me, and will continue to inspire me on the days where I can hardly walk myself.

She made me laugh when she said "the usual thinking and learning and memory issues great fun"
even though her life has changed dramatically she hasn't lost her humour, which is one of the most important things. She finds it hard at times because she had such a busy life before.

Something she said I could relate to a lot "sometimes I really feel that this isn't me and I'm having a different body experience". I understand what she's trying to say sometimes it just feels crazy that this is my life now, that this will be my life for the rest of my life, you may improve but you will never be the person you thought you would be, that the life you had is gone and it will never come back. I think all of us can relate to the words she said.

"I really just miss me, my independence, my ability to do what I want when I want". "People think you're okay and get on with it, but sometimes its hard to". "You feel like you go 2 steps forward and 4 steps back at times and it sets you back". "Your not stupid but you do feel it". These are the words Sharon said to me when she was describing how she felt. I relate to her words, sometimes you do feel stupid but not because you are, its because it takes you longer to do things the 'old' you could do and sometimes you don't understand things you knew you could before. That's the hardest thing adjusting to the changes, figuring out the 'new' you and mourning the 'old' you.

She is inspiring. I love her humour towards life and herself. Thank you for talking to me, for sharing your story with me and thank you for letting me share it with others. 💜 I hope you feel as inspired as I did when talking to her. 💜 She attends Headway Cork 3 days a week, which I know myself
"shatter" you as I go to Headway Limerick 3 days a week and I'm dead by the weekend😂. but just like me she loves it there and finds it helpful and its the best place, we'd be lost without Headway.

"What doesn't kill us makes us stronger and in truth this could have killed us or left us in a worse state but this state sucks eggs I appreciate this state but it still sucks eggs". -Sharon Motherway.