Dorian cox opens up about his stroke

When I first heard the news that Dorian Cox from The Long Blondes had suffered a stroke, I remember selfishly opining that it shouldn’t necessitate the band breaking up. Of course, I later realized I was being an ass although I was – and am – still sad to see one of my favorite bands of the last few years go their separate ways. Plus, a band dynamic is a tricky thing, and just because Kate Jackson might get the brunt of the attention doesn’t mean that the loss of one of her bandmates wouldn’t irreparably damage it. So maybe all for the best, then.

Cox has recently opened up about his experience as a 27 year-old stroke victim on The Guardian:

I must have fallen unconscious on my way to hospital as I don’t remember arriving there. I was in hospital for seven weeks, the first two in intensive care. My condition was very unstable because I had also contracted pneumonia (which my illness the previous day may or may not have been the start of). Although I was heavily sedated, I do have hazy memories of visitors during this time. A friend of my mum, whom I had never met, visited me in intensive care, and the first time I met her after I had come round, I told her I remembered meeting her before.

The stroke had affected my left side, but while I was very ill, it was hard for the doctors to assess whether it had also affected my mind. For several weeks, I couldn’t speak, but this, I later learned, was mainly because I was being fed through a tube, which was restricting my vocal cords. It was a relief when I could finally communicate normally.

Since I’m basically the same age as Dorian, reading this was pretty scary. Add to that the fact that the son of one of my parent’s friends recently suffered a grand mal seizure which was apparently caused by a brain tumor. Fortunately, it was removed and it appears he’s going to be alright, though he’ll never be able to risk driving a car or going anywhere alone. And he’s barely 20 years old. It just goes to show that nothing should ever be taken for granted, regardless of age. Dorian probably has a better appreciation for life now than any of us do. At the very least, it helps you to appreciate the good health you have.

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