Due to a personal tragedy, I began to drink heavily and in 2005, I was diagnosed with psychotic reactive depression.
After suffering a stroke in 2007, my mobility of my right arm, my speech and frontal lobe was severely affected.
I attended rehabilitation for my mobility, speech and brain injury, however none of them worked. I became very depressed and I was then sectioned under the mental health act and was detained on a brain injury unit in Liverpool in 2016. 
I did nothing, I spent all my time in my room, I went for a cigarette every hour, this was the only time I interacted with anyone, to ask for a cigarette.
I went off my food, did not participate in much other than the music class once a week as I love music. I lived my life like this for the best part of 3 years, when I was introduced to my new Support Worker, I informed her I needed to get out of this place, it is not for me, I am not like these people, I am lonely and the staff just don’t have the time for me.
My Support Worker said she would look into it and she came back a month or so later with NNS. I was shown some pictures and was introduced to the manager, since them my list started to change.
I was not the easiest person to care for, I was depressed, angry all the time, I was aggressive both verbally and physically, but the manager seemed to understand, and I smiled for the first time in a long time.
In February 2019, the manager took a chance on me and I was transferred to NNS.
This was going to be a big change, I was excited but nervous and scared all at the same time, it didn’t take long for NNS to become my home and I felt really good about the move. However, I did continue to get very frustrated when the staff could not understand what I was saying, and it took time to get to know all the new faces.
I am now in a completely different world, I go out in the community every single day, I plan all my own activities.
I am cooking, baking, ironing, walking one of the staff’s dogs, I do my own shopping list and the staff take me shopping.
I am alcohol free and the manager has even turned one of the lounges into a music room as she knows I love my music.
My mobility has improved, and my speech is becoming clearer.
I still get down at times, I still get angry now and then but if I can achieve this in 2 months, I am very excited to see where I am in 6 months’ time.
I cannot thank the staff at NNS enough for the time, effort, care and support they have given me.
I still have a way to go, but my life is looking much brighter