A Tasmanian man says he is lucky to be alive after experiencing a life-changing stroke that forced him to relearn how to walk.
Then 49-year-old Eddie Jager from Blackman’s Bay led an active lifestyle and felt in top shape in 2020 when the stroke unexpectedly struck while he was cleaning up.
“I went to stand up and felt light-headed, I noticed I couldn’t raise my left arm. I tried to get up again, but my legs collapsed from underneath me,” Eddie said.
“Thankfully, my wife Caroline was at home at the time. She had participated in a first aid course at work only the day before, and they had taught her about the signs of stroke.”
“She knew what to do, kept me calm and called 000.”
“I have no doubt she saved my life, if not my life she was able to greatly improve my quality of life by getting me the help I needed quickly.”
Eddie is among the 11,000 stroke survivors living across Tasmania and is sharing his story as part of National Stroke Week, an initiative aimed at raising awareness about strokes.
The Stroke Foundation estimates that around 700 Tasmanians are impacted by strokes each year, and Tasmania has a higher risk factor compared to the mainland.
The key symptoms of a stroke include facial paralysis, arm weakness and slowed speech.
Experts emphasise the importance of remembering the F.A.S.T. acronym, which stands for Face (facial droop), Arms (inability to lift arms), Speech (slurred speech) and Time (Time to call 000).
Eddie’s recovery is progressing well and he says he’s fighting stroke by facing challenges he once thought may be impossible.
“Being back at work was a big achievement of mine. It’s been really great to have some independence,” he said.
“My next goal is to walk up to the top of Mount Wellington by the end of year. That would be the pinnacle of my recovery journey.”
