420. Stroke With No Warning Signs - Tom Ballo's One Bad Day in Eighteen Months

At sixty-five, Tom Ballo's stroke gave no warning at all — and eighteen months later, he says he's had exactly one bad day. Tom Ballo is a retired telecoms litigator of 32 years who suffered a massive hemorrhagic stroke at 65 with no warning signs — found by his five-year-old granddaughter. In this episode, he opens up about what recovery has actually looked like eighteen months on, including what's gotten easier and what hasn't. → What a stroke with zero warning signs actually feels like  → Why some symptoms, like spasticity, can get worse over time, not better → How self-actualisation and a stable sense of identity shape recovery → Adjusting to a new role at home when independence changes → What it means when a survivor says they've had "one bad day"