S01E05 Life-changing stroke just days before starting a new life in France

Jane: Welcome to another podcast. We are overwhelmed by the amount of people who are now following us and have viewed our previous podcasts. So, we're going to move straight on. Today, we have our guest, Sharon, with us. I'm going to introduce Sharon, and then Sharon is going to tell us all about her time here.

Sharon, welcome to the podcast.

Sharon: Thank you, Jane.

Jane: It has taken us a little while to get here, but you're here and it's great. Would you like to introduce yourself and tell us a little bit about yourself?

Sharon: I'm Sharon Bourne, and I'm married to Mick. I have five children, and many, many grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Jane: Wow! Well, you look far too young to have great-grandchildren. Probably too young to have so many of them! Well done, well done.

So, we're going to go back to "before." I know we want to talk about your life before you came to France. What was your life like in the UK? Were you working? Where did you live?

Sharon: We lived in Kent, in a town called Sittingbourne. I worked as a teaching assistant in a primary school, which I loved. Mick worked in London, so he had a long commute every day. Life was busy, especially with five children, but it was a good life.

Jane: It sounds like a very full house and a very busy life! How did the idea of moving to France come about? Was it a long-term dream, or did it happen suddenly?

Sharon: It was actually Mick's dream initially. He had always wanted to live in France. We used to come here on holiday, and he would always say, "One day, we'll live here." I wasn't so sure at first because of the children and grandchildren, but eventually, as the children got older and started their own lives, I thought, "Why not?" Life is short, and we should give it a try.

Jane: Yes, life is indeed too short. So, you made the decision to take the leap. How did you find your house in France, and what was the moving process like?

Sharon: We started looking online and visited a few times. We wanted something rural but not completely isolated. When we found this house, we knew it was the one. The moving process was quite stressful, as it always is, but we managed to get everything over here. We moved just before the Brexit transition period ended, which made things a bit more urgent, but we made it.

Jane: That must have been quite a relief to get settled before all the rules changed. And how did you adapt to life in France initially? Did you speak any French?

Sharon: No, I didn't speak any French at all, which was very daunting. Mick knew a little bit, but not much. In the beginning, it was difficult because of the language barrier, but our French neighbors were very welcoming and kind. We tried our best with sign language and translation apps.

Jane: It's amazing how far kindness and translation apps can get you! But then, your life changed dramatically one night. Can you talk about what happened?

Sharon: Yes. It was about two years after we moved. I went to bed feeling completely fine. But in the middle of the night, I woke up feeling very strange. I tried to get out of bed, but I couldn't move my leg, and I fell onto the floor. Mick woke up and found me. I tried to speak to him, but no words would come out. He looked at me and realized that my face had dropped on one side. He immediately knew it was a stroke.

Jane: That must have been absolutely terrifying for both of you, especially being in a foreign country and dealing with the language barrier in an emergency. What did Mick do?

Sharon: Mick was brilliant. He stayed calm and immediately called the French emergency services—the Pompiers and the SAMU. Even with his limited French, he managed to explain what was happening. The emergency services arrived incredibly quickly. Within minutes, they were at the house, assessing me and preparing to take me to the hospital.

Jane: The response time in France is often incredible. Which hospital did they take you to, and what was the medical care like?

Sharon: They took me to the hospital in Limoges. The doctors and nurses there were absolutely fantastic. They did a scan immediately and confirmed it was a massive stroke. They started treatment straight away. I spent several days in the intensive care unit.

Because of the stroke, I had completely lost the ability to speak and walk. My right side was paralyzed. The language barrier was still there, of course, but the hospital staff were so patient. They used Google Translate on their phones to explain things to me, and they were incredibly kind.

Jane: It sounds like they gave you wonderful care. How long were you in the hospital, and what was the rehabilitation process like?

Sharon: I was in the hospital for about a month, and then I was transferred to a specialized rehabilitation center. I had to relearn everything from scratch. I had to learn how to swallow, how to speak, how to sit up, and eventually how to walk again.

I had daily sessions with physiotherapists, speech therapists, and occupational therapists. It was exhausting, both physically and mentally. There were days when I felt like giving up, but the therapists were so encouraging. They kept pushing me, and slowly, I started to see small improvements.

Jane: Your determination is truly incredible. To go from complete paralysis to where you are today is nothing short of a miracle. How long did the recovery process take once you returned home?

Sharon: It is still an ongoing process, to be honest. When I first came home, it was very difficult. I felt very isolated because I couldn't go out easily, and my confidence was completely gone. I was embarrassed about my speech and worried about falling. Mick was a wonderful support, but I felt like I had lost my independence.

Jane: That transition back home can be very lonely, especially when you are far away from your family in the UK. How did you find your way back to socializing and rebuilding your confidence?

Sharon: It started when a friend told me about the Sunflowers group. I was very nervous about going at first because I was self-conscious about my speech and my walking. But Mick encouraged me to go.

When I walked into the room, I was met with so much warmth and acceptance. Nobody judged me. Everyone was so supportive and understanding. Being around other women who were also navigating life in France, sharing their own challenges and stories, was a turning point for me. It gave me my confidence back. It made me realize that I wasn't alone, and that I could still have a full, active life.

Jane: I have watched you come into the Sunflowers group, and your resilience and determination are just incredible. You really are an inspiration to everyone who meets you. You are a powerhouse of strength.

If you could go back to that night—or even to the person you were before the stroke—and give yourself some advice, what would you say?

Sharon: I would say: "Don't give up. It's going to be a long, hard fight, but you are stronger than you think. You will get through this."

And to anyone else who is facing a difficult time or hesitating to make a big change in their life, I would say: "Just do it. Live for the day. We don't know what tomorrow will bring, so make the most of every moment. Don't let fear hold you back."

Jane: That is beautiful advice, Sharon, and a perfect note to end on. Thank you so much for coming on the podcast and sharing your incredible story with us. You are an absolute inspiration.

Sharon: Thank you, Jane. It was a pleasure being here.

Jane: And thank you to everyone for listening. Don't forget to subscribe, leave a comment, and join us next time on the Sunflowers Podcast!