A NURSE whose life has been turned upside down after her husband had a stroke is raising money for the people who helped support her family and to thank the community that rallied round.

Claire Hutchinson, 47, from Northallerton said she basically told Pete, 45, to stop being a drama queen when he complained of pins and needles in his arm and leg on January 6. Later that night he couldn’t balance or stand.

She adds: “This wasn’t your classic stroke, he had full power just no real movement or control, and no FAST symptoms (Facial drooping, Arm weakness, Speech difficulties and Time). So an ambulance came and took Pete away. Alone due to Covid restrictions and left me at home with our two boys. I got them sorted and away to school.

“I rang my work and rearranged the days appointments and a lovely friend drove me to hospital to drop Pete some essentials. He had been through the CT scanner but we had no formal diagnosis only that it was most likely a stroke.

“And then I fell apart. I waited for news alternating between tears and borderline hysteria. He had an MRI which confirmed a right lacunar infarct. Now I know things, I’ve been nursing more than 20 years but I also knew nothing, I beat myself up and our amazing friends and my fantastic work colleagues supported me so I could support Pete. He so badly wanted to be home, to the extent he stayed awake half the night moving his affected left side so he could get home to us, and get home he did after just one night in hospital.”

Claire devoured every bit of information she could find but as a nurse found a lot of it was scary, inaccurate and hard to fathom until she went on the Stroke Association website. “The fact sheets and support lines are amazing. Today Pete is home. He’s mobile just about. Thankfully cognitively fine. We are hoping he will drive again. It’s early days but we will do this and I’ll raise money where I can,” she added.

Claire is particularly grateful for the massive support from family, friends and colleagues in Northallerton, but is keen to help the Stroke Association who help so many other people. On Sunday she is doing the ten kilometre Virtual Resolution Run, organised by the association.

This year it is online and Claire is doing it on a treadmill at home.

“I’ve never run more than 5k before but this is so important,” she said. She is hoping to raise more than £1,500 and has already reached over £1,400 after an initial target of £100.

See www.justgiving.com/fundraising/claire-hutchinson-resolution-run-virtual-2021 to donate.