Harry So Rocks

Harry Leonard has photographed many fashion shows, but he’ll never forget suffering a stroke while shooting Fashion Week last year. Read about how his love for photography and the support of his friends and family have helped him on his road to recovery.

I had a stroke on March 25, 2018, while photographing Vancouver Fashion Week.  After spending about two months in Intensive Care, and then a rehabilitation hospital, I was able to return home and resume my life with the support of close friends and family.  I am a 69-year-old freelance photographer, and I have been able to resume my work in that field with some considerable difficulty. My stroke was ischemic, non-Hemorrhagic and cryptogenic.  It was eventually determined that it was caused by non-symptomatic paroxysmal atrial fibrillation. I also suffered an epileptic type grand mal seizure on October 29th that put me back in the ER.

I consider myself lucky in the sense that I was able to learn to walk again and to regain use of my left arm relatively quickly.  My eyesight was affected to the point that I lost my drivers license, but not to the point where I was unable to continue with my photography.  I still struggle with some of the physical effects from the stroke and recovery including the loss of about 30 pounds of body muscle weight. I am trying to gain some of that back through nutrition and exercise and recently started doing longer walks for that exercise.  I walk with a cane and still have somewhat poor motor control in my left hand and foot.

I think I have a lot to say about the process of recovery, even though mine has been relatively good in part because of the nature of my stroke. However, I do have a lot of thoughts about the emotional side of the recovery process, and I enjoy very much the comments that Joe makes about that sort of thing on the podcast.

I would also like to give my input about the huge impact that certain people have during the recovery process.  My comments go beyond the physiotherapists and doctors working with me in the hospital and after, but also include close friends who have been an amazing support and without whom I don’t think I could’ve made it through the past nine months.  I still have a long ways to go and I still need a lot of support, but because of the love and support of those people I am determined to keep going and to make my life as good as it can be and to recover every part of my life that I lost to the greatest degree possible.

To continue to follow Harry’s  journey follow him at @harry.leonard.imagery on Instagram. And connect with more stroke and brain injury survivors on the YouSoRock Facebook Support Group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/yousorock.