Wellington stroke survivor urges blood pressure checks

Paul Chandler was enjoying a typical day in his study when he had a middle cerebral artery stroke on July 31, 2021. 

Mr Chandler, who was 60 years old at the time, found himself on the floor, disoriented and unaware of what had happened.

He tried to call for help but could not produce any sound, even though he believed he was shouting. The right side of his body had become completely unresponsive, leaving him immobilised and confused.

“For what felt like an eternity — 20 to 30 minutes — I lay there helpless until my wife discovered me,” he said.

His wife helped him up with help from their daughter and immediately called an ambulance.

Mr Chandler was rushed to Southmead Hospital in Bristol, where doctors performed an emergency thrombectomy to remove a blood clot from his brain.

Paul at home. (Image: Livvi Grant, NHS Somerset)

After spending a week at Southmead, Paul was transferred to Musgrove Park Hospital in Taunton for further care, followed by a stay at Williton Stroke Hospital, where he received exceptional stroke-related care and physiotherapy.

He returned home on November 1, 2021.

While he was relieved to be back in familiar surroundings, he was also filled with anxiety about his future.

“I was scared about my future and worried about becoming a burden on my family,” he said.

At the time, Paul weighed 149kg (around 23 stone) and struggled with basic tasks such as walking, climbing stairs and even showering, which he had to do using a bath board.

With the help of home physiotherapy, he began to rebuild his life over the next six to eight months. He relearned how to walk and climb stairs, and gradually regained his independence.

“Through sheer determination and the guidance of my physiotherapists, I transformed my life,” said Mr Chandler.

His weight dropped to 83kg (13 stone), and his physiotherapist helped him join a local gym through a GP referral scheme, which he has attended three to four times a week for the last two years. 

He is now able to drive again thanks to a specially adapted car that he can operate using only his left hand and left foot, and he believes the “expertise and encouragement” of his physiotherapists stopped him being “confined to a wheelchair”.

But his life has changed significantly.

He used to be an avid golfer with a handicap of six and was a motorbike enthusiast with five classic bikes. He belonged to four bike groups, won trophies at bike meets and use to race bikes capable of exceeding 180mph.

Before his stroke, Mr Chandler had experienced no prior warning signs or symptoms.

An NHS worker gets his blood pressure tested at Musgrove Park Hospital as part of the ‘Test-a-Thon’. (Image: NHS Somerset)

“I hadn’t had my blood pressure checked in years, though I knew it had been high when I was younger. I thought, ‘ignorance is bliss’,” Paul said.

“Please, please, please get your blood pressure checked regularly, even if you feel fine.

“It could save your life and spare you and your loved ones from a lot of tears and hard work. Don’t wait until it’s too late to take control of your health.”

It is estimated that around 40,000 people in Somerset have high blood pressure without knowing it.

Last week, NHS Somerset ran a 24-hour ‘Test-a-Thon’ which saw hundreds of people get their blood pressure checked by clinicians at hospitals, businesses, shopping centres and supermarkets.

Now, the health service is encouraging people to visit community pharmacies for a blood pressure check, or borrow a blood pressure testing kit from libraries.

Professor Trudi Grant, the county's executive director of public and population health, said: “Early detection of high blood pressure can literally save lives, and it’s encouraging to see so many people in Somerset taking that crucial step.

“Our work doesn’t stop here—if you haven’t been tested yet, please make it a priority. It’s quick, simple, and could be life-changing.”

For more information, visit oursomerset.org.uk/working-together/blood-pressure