In September 2023, Colt Burrus woke up in hospital with a severe headache, unaware that he had just survived two strokes and a craniotomy – a procedure where part of the skull is temporarily removed to relieve pressure on the brain and reduce swelling.

‘Everything was a blur,’ says Colt.

‘I have no clear memory of what happened. I just woke up and a part of my skull was missing. My partner, Jessica, tried to explain, but I felt confused by all the medication I was on and couldn’t process what she was saying.’

Colt was in hospital for nine months, recovering from both the physical and cognitive effects of stroke. These included left-side paralysis and aphasia, a condition that impacts speech and communication.

‘It was an extremely challenging time for me,’ he says. ‘The stroke impacted me in so many ways, and I struggled with my mental health. I couldn’t even look in the mirror. With my left-side paralysis and part of my skull missing, I didn’t recognise myself anymore.

‘I just wanted to go back to how I was before the stroke. I couldn’t eat, walk or talk the way I used to.

‘Talking was particularly difficult. Because of my left-sided weakness, I’d dribble whenever I concentrated on saying something. I knew what I wanted to say, but I couldn’t get the words out. I’d get frustrated when people told me that I didn’t make sense because I thought I did.

‘A stroke also affects your pitch, so even when I could speak, I was very monotone and I didn’t sound like myself.’

For Colt, being away from his dog, Nyx, made recovery even more challenging.

‘We were together almost all the time for the first year of his life. Then, suddenly, I couldn’t be with him at all,‘ he says.

A few months into his rehabilitation, hospital staff allowed Nyx to visit Colt’s ward, it would improve his wellbeing and encourage his recovery.

‘We all saw an incredible difference in him after Nyx’s visit,’ says Jessica. ‘He was so much more upbeat and motivated the following day. He was feeling down again a few days later, but Nyx’s next visit cheered him up. The hospital then allowed Nyx to visit every week.’

Nyx motivated Colt to engage more with his rehabilitation, including physiotherapy and speech and language therapy.

‘Dogs give you unconditional love, so you just want to give it back to them,’ says Colt. ‘Connecting with Nyx again motivated me to work harder on my recovery because I was so eager to get back home to him. I put more effort into my physiotherapy, and Nyx even helped me improve my speech.

‘You can’t talk to a dog in one tone – you have to raise or lower your pitch, depending on what you want them to do. With Nyx, I was so excited talking to him that my pitch was always going up. I began to sound less monotone.

‘I was more determined than ever to return home. Even though I still couldn’t walk at the time, I promised myself that I’d be able to walk out of hospital. It took several months of hard work, but I achieved that goal.’

Setting goals and finding new ways to approach things have been key to Colt’s recovery.

‘Once you start doing things, you realise it’s possible,’ he says. ’I’m no longer focused on getting back to the way I was. I’m just trying to find ways to be comfortable with who I am now. I’ve had to give up some of my hobbies, like gaming, because I still can’t use my left arm, but I’ve discovered new ones.

‘I’ve started building with Lego bricks, which has helped me a lot. You can do it with one hand and it’s mentally stimulating because you’re concentrating on following instructions and putting something together.’

Once home, Colt and Jessica got in touch with the Stroke Association to help them navigate life after stroke.

‘The Stroke Association’s support services are crucial for survivors and their families,’ says Jessica. ’Michelle, our Stroke Support Coordinator, came to our house and shared valuable information about stroke, helping us understand its impacts better.

She also introduced us to the charity's website and all the different services available.’

Although Colt is still learning to adapt to life after stroke and still has some challenges to overcome, he’s more hopeful about his future.

‘Early on in my recovery, I was impatient and just wanted to be able to do everything immediately, but that wasn’t possible,’ he says. ‘Be patient, take it one step at a time and don’t give up.’

For more information and support

We’re here to support everyone affected by stroke. Visit stroke.org.uk/support for more information.

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