Shropshire stroke victim backs campaign after dream trip to America turned into a nightmare

Maxine Barnes, aged 53 from Shrewsbury, was on holiday with her 54-year-old husband Mark in Orlando when she collapsed with a severe headache.

Today she has added her voice to a campaign that aims to raise awareness of the challenges that stroke survivors with communication difficulties can face.

Maxine was admitted to hospital after falling ill in April 2016, where she was diagnosed with a subarachnoid haemorrhage, which led to two strokes.

She was in hospital in America for more than six weeks and underwent major surgery to reduce the swelling on her brain before she was flown back to the UK and transferred to Royal Shrewsbury Hospital for further treatment.

Initially when Maxine returned to the UK she was transferred from bed to a chair by a hoist and was fed through a tube. Maxine was asleep for most of the time and was unable to communicate for 15 months. She was discharged home in December 2016 after eight months in hospital.

Now Maxine wants to help others who face the challenge of living after suffering a stroke. Mark and Maxine are childhood sweethearts and have been together for 40 years, and have been married for 35.

Mark said: “I’ve played musical reminders of our memories to help wake Maxine’s brain up. As long as I’ve got breath in my body I’ll keep fighting for my wife. She’s remarkable.”

Now Maxine’s feeding tube has been removed, allowing her to enjoy meals again, and she has recovered enough speech to have a conversation.

Mark added: “Maxine is now recovering beyond our wildest dreams. Initially it was a very dark time, and I was spending 12 to 14-hour days by her bedside, not knowing if the next day would come. Although Maxine didn’t speak for 15 months, I never stopped speaking to her like I always have done. One morning I asked how she was, as I do every morning, and she replied with: ‘I’m OK’. Her speech progressed from there.

“Minute to minute Maxine is good with conversation, but she still gets very confused and her memory has been affected. However, she can name all six of our grandchildren. Maxine does know that she’s had a bleed on her brain, but doesn’t realise just how poorly she’s been. We’ve shed a lot of tears, but we’ve come so far and I would advise anyone going through a similar situation to never give up. We’re hoping 2018 will be a better year.”

The Stroke Association’s Lost for Words campaign launched earlier this year.

Sarah Evans, Stroke Association support co-ordinator, has supported Maxine and Mark throughout her recovery. Sarah said: “After a stroke, around one in three people like Maxine have difficulty communicating, which can be both terrifying and isolating. But with the right help and support, many stroke survivors are able to find new ways to communicate, and can rebuild their lives.

“Mark and Maxine are an inspirational couple who clearly love and respect each other. Mark and the family have worked together to support Maxine on her road to recovery. They have never given up and I feel honoured to have met and supported them.”