Story by Joe Costa 

“I will never, ever give up” 

J.Costa

I’m a stroke survivor. Three years ago (2016), at the age of 57, I suffered an acute stroke that paralysed my left side. I never had high blood pressure or high cholesterol. Few months before the stroke I did a general check-up and everything resulted OK.

It was a great shock!! A stroke can be genetic. My mum suffered a haemorrhagic stroke at the age of 51 and died fifteen days afterwards.

After almost a year of therapy and working hard, I still had no movements in my left arm, when generally you do have movements during the first 6 months. My therapist quit seeing me as she told me to accept reality as it seems very difficult that I will have more movements.

When I returned home, I decided that I will not let the stroke destroy me. The next day I started to work harder and started to do 4 to 5 hours therapy daily by myself at home!

My hobby is photography. I bought a new camera. I needed both hands to manage this camera!!!!

I reasoned it out that now that I have spent almost 1600 Eur I have to do a greater effort. At first, I used a monopod … and now … with the help of God and the support I have from my family and friends … YES, I DID IT!!!

Now I have much more movements in my left hand. I’m still limited because I still have a frozen shoulder and a frozen knee. But at least I became independent again. I’m driving an automatic car. I’m still doing therapy at home as I want to get better … and I will become better … I WILL NEVER EVER GIVE UP.

After the stroke, I had no movements in my left arm and then after eighteen months movements started coming slowly … finger after finger. So I always used to carry a monopod with me. I used to hold the monopod between my left arm and manage the camera with my right hand. One fine day, when at M’Xlokk I decided to leave the monopod in my car and told my wife that today I’m going to try to handle the camera without the use of a monopod.

On our way to a restaurant, I saw dogs having fun with a plastic bottle. I don’t know how with my left arm I got hold of the camera, lifted the camera to my eye, and with my right hand I pushed the shutter. My wife, amazed told me …”Do you know that you lifted your left arm?” I told her “Yes I know” From that day onwards, the monopod remained jobless  The picture matched with my story is the result

PRAISE THE LORD.