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Indie star's fight to get his groove back after stroke
Last year Dorian Cox had a glittering music career ahead of him.
As guitarist for indie rock band The Long Blondes he was touring the world, making records and receiving rave reviews.
But in June, after returning from a summer US tour, Dorian, from York, suffered a stroke which left him paralysed down his right side, meaning he can no longer play the guitar which earned him his living. He was just 27 years old. "The day after we got back from the US tour, I was in a Sheffield hotel when I fell to the floor without any warning – I still don't know exactly what happened," recalls Dorian.
"I was conscious and thought I just needed a hand to get back up, but I was taken to hospital struggling for breath – the NHS definitely saved my life.
"It was so strange because it came out of the blue, and when I was told I'd had a stroke, I just thought 'I'm too young for this'. It was very difficult to take in because I thought strokes only happened to older people and I'd always been in pretty good health.
"I feel lucky it hasn't affected me mentally – the repercussions have been purely physical – but my right leg and arm aren't really usable as they were, so I can't play guitar. That was a nightmare, because it meant the band couldn't carry on and my livelihood had suddenly gone. But it could have been a lot worse."
The Long Blondes were forced to call it a day following Dorian's stroke, but he is determined to play the guitar again and is seeking the help of a York clinic which is teaching him to restart from scratch.
Dorian contacted PhysioFunction, which provides private specialist neurological physiotherapy and is based at York Science Park, after deciding he needed something more than simply NHS treatment.
He says his weekly sessions, which involve wearing a "bionic"-looking hand, are moving him towards his ultimate aim – being able to play guitar again.
Sarah Daniel of PhysioFunction is one of just a few clinicians in Yorkshire trained to use a Saeboflex arm training programme.
"This revolutionary new programme helps patients who have some shoulder and elbow movement following their stroke to regain the ability to open and close their hand," she explains.
"When wearing the SaeboFlex splint, the wrist, fingers and thumb are held in the right position needed to use the hand in everyday activities. The user is then able to grasp an object by gripping with his or her fingers. The spring system assists in re-opening the hand to release the object.
"The outcome of the Saeboflex arm training treatment approach can bring dramatic results for some patients who can now perform tasks like holding a bottle to their mouth for the first time in years."
Dorian added: "It's a fantastic service, it's helping tremendously and I think it can work wonders for me and others – it's almost like a gym for my hand," he said.
"I know things might never be the same again and nobody can give me a definite answer about whether I'll play guitar again, but I do think, with PhysioFunction's help, I'm getting back on track.
"Whether I like it or not, this has happened to me, so I have to stay upbeat – there's no point dwelling on it. If I want to get back to how I was, I need to adopt a positive attitude."
For more information visit www.physiofunction.co.uk or telephone 0800-860-0138
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Saturday 26 May 2012
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