I was in a state of such flux. Was I returning to work or was I not? And if I wasn't, what the hell was I going to do with myself?  And the answer to that was of course, accept what you can't control and take control of what you can. Once I let that go, that's when the anxiety really started to lift, and I started to say, “Actually, I'm still okay”.  Dr Andy Kilov joins Piers for their third conversation about Piers’ recovery journey. They look at Piers’ mental health, what victories look...

If you had something bad happen to you, I think everyone should be allowed to wallow for a while. I mean, God, you're allowed to be a bit upset, really - but I think many of us are very hard on ourselves, we expect a lot of things about ourselves, and we expect a lot of things about people around us, and so cutting yourself some slack can be really hard to do.  In this episode, Piers turns to Samantha Loi to get a psychiatrist’s opinion on how Piers was and continues to handle his stroke...

So he came out of the bathroom and I sort of grabbed him and I said to him, “Can you say something to me?” and he went rrrrr and I said OK, this is not right.   We have heard a lot about the stroke experience from Piers, now it is time to hear from the other person who the stroke has had a major effect on: Piers' wife Jane.   Dr Andy Kilov asks Jane about her side of the story from the morning of the stroke through the recovery journey. We hear what the experience has been like for her and...

There's no one right way of doing things. The only right way of doing things is you knowing what feels right and what is meeting your needs both in terms of goals and intensity. In this second part of the discussion between Dr Andy Kilov and Pier’s wife Jane, we hear about the weeks after leaving the hospital, how Piers and Jane went about organising rehabilitation and Jane working out how to give the best kind of support as a partner.  Featuring Jane McGarry and speech pathologist Dr Andy...

There were a lot of people who thought I was going to be pretty useless after the stroke... Piers and producer Stuart get together to discuss the current state of Piers’ stroke recovery. Recording the podcast has been an 18-month process and a lot has changed over that time, so with the season drawing to a close we hear how Piers is placed two years on.  Australia's Stroke Foundation is a proud friend of 404: Brain Not Found. Learn more about the Stroke Foundation here:...

I stirred with what seemed like one heck of a hangover…  In conversation with his speech therapist, Dr Andy Kilov, Piers describes the morning he woke up having a stroke, how his family responded and what occurred in the hours afterwards.   Featuring speech pathologist Dr Andy Kilov.  Australia's Stroke Foundation is a proud friend of 404: Brain Not Found. Learn more about the Stroke Foundation here: https://strokefoundation.org.au  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

People often don't realise that even as they ask further questions, we're already mobilising resources to you.   Sally Dennes is an intensive care paramedic in Sydney. She gives us insight into what happens when first responders arrive at a stroke situation.     Unexpectedly in the episode, Sally also reveals to Piers that she herself is a young stroke survivor.  Featuring paramedic Sally Dennes.  Australia's Stroke Foundation is a proud friend of 404: Brain Not Found. Learn more about...

We are very aware that "time is brain." For us, that's our mantra.  Piers speaks to award-winning nurse practitioner Kylie Tastula about the admission process for stroke patients, the changing nature of stroke treatment over the years, challenges faced by young stroke survivors and, most critically, the importance of timely treatment.   Featuring nurse practitioner Kylie Tastula.  Australia's Stroke Foundation is a proud friend of 404: Brain Not Found. Learn more about the Stroke...

It’s really important in the early days of stroke rehab to be sticking to an achievable routine, and it’s a routine that’s really different to what you’re used to.   Piers is joined by his speech pathologist, Dr Andy Kilov, to discuss his experience with cognitive fatigue and the complexities of aphasia and dyspraxia.   Dr Kilov also runs Piers through some exercises used in the rehabilitation of language and vocabulary of stroke survivors.   Featuring speech pathologist Dr Andy...

There is a huge desire to transition from being a stroke victim into being a stroke survivor as quickly as possible ... but it's absolutely unrealistic.  Being realistic about recovery timelines is vital after stroke, and it's a lesson Piers had to learn the hard way.    Piers speaks again to Dr Andy Kilov, his speech pathologist, about the path to recovery and managing expectations. We hear more of Pier’s experience in the weeks after his stroke (including an ill-advised early return to...

I was desperate to get out and pretend I was alright. And when I got out, I was desperate to regain what I’d lost. I was scared. That’s the truth.  Writer and journalist Joel Deane joins Piers for a raw and honest conversation about how it feels to be a young stroke survivor. Joel’s experience is very similar to Piers’ and they reflect on the impact stroke has had on their lives, relationships, and priorities.   Featuring writer Joel Deane.  Australia's Stroke Foundation is a proud friend...

It is all too common when we think about stroke to see it as something that only affects older people. For young survivors of stroke, the challenges of recovery can feel insurmountable, but there is life after stroke. 404: Brain Not Found is a podcast for survivors – particularly younger people – and their families and friends. Join entrepreneur, policy activist and father Piers Grove in the year after his own stroke as he puts the pieces back together, from the moment his stroke occurred,...