Hi, my name is Katrena and I had a stroke on Valentine’s Day, 14th February 2013. I used to play golf until I had a brain bleed and a stroke. I enjoyed art and drawing but I can’t do either of those things now.

After my stroke I spent 7 months in Royal North Shore Hospital and Wyong Hospital. I came home 15th September 2013. Things were terrible and I was living in hell. My partner Chris had to help me in and out of bed because I had no handrail and I had a catheter in place. Chris and my son Brandon had to do everything for me.

I had a bit of physio then 14 months after I got home I started with ABI Services. They exercised my arm and encouraged me to walk. My doctor said I’d have to have the catheter in permanently, but we worked hard and got it taken out in January 2017. It was great to be free after 4 years. 

Now ABIS take me to hydrotherapy twice a week and out to shopping and social events that I couldn’t go to before. Sometimes I go to the cooking group and to different places instead of just my local shopping centre all the time, like Newcastle and Port Stephens. 

I like my support workers, they are all very nice. Most exciting of all is that I’m back to playing golf! I am working with Empower Golf and I hope to be able to join my old friends for a round soon.