A 25-year-old Australian man is counting his blessings after surviving a stroke that nearly killed him. Michael Donellan went to bed nine months ago and almost didn't wake up, having suffered a 2.5-centimetre aneurysm at the back of his brain, bleeding from two spots, and a medium stroke.
Donellan had experienced headaches for six months prior and sought medical help after a punch to the face during a Jujitsu grading. His GP diagnosed migraines, but later his partner woke him after he had slept for hours, prompting a call to an ambulance. Doctors told him he was 'incredibly lucky' to survive.
In Australia, someone suffers a stroke every 10 minutes, according to the National Stroke Foundation. Around 440,000 people live with stroke impacts, costing the economy $5 billion annually. Donellan has made a remarkable recovery, going from a paralysed left side to walking, running, and using his arm at 80-90% capacity after months of rehabilitation.
Associate Professor Peter Thompson, an emergency physician, says prevention is key. Regular check-ups, a healthy diet, exercise, no smoking, and reduced alcohol consumption lower stroke risk. Hypertension and atrial fibrillation are major risk factors. Early intervention improves recovery, but symptoms like transient ischemic attacks are often ignored.
Donellan credits his positive attitude and family support for his progress. He set goals to walk, run, and work again, and now aims to regain his driver's licence. 'Being negative is useless, so why not smile?' he said.
