By Courtney Rubie
Yiradhu marang!
G’day! My name is Courtney Rubie and I am a Wiradjuri woman living in beautiful Newcastle on Awabakal Country.
At 25 years old, I became a stroke survivor after having suffered a cerebral venous sinus thrombosis and a subarachnoid haemorrhage. Or to put it simply – I had a couple of strokes.
When stroke survivors talk about their journey after stroke, we don’t often hear about how a person’s culture plays a significant role in their recovery. You may have heard the sentiment that for First Nations peoples to feel waluwin (healthy) in their mind, body and spirit, their cultures and the land play a role in their wellbeing. This notion of holistic health is true, especially for First Nations people who have survived stroke. A huge part of what keeps our spirit strong in our post-stroke journey is how we connect to our culture, to our Ngurambang (Country) and who we connect with in our community.
Awabakal Country is special to me – I have such a strong connection to the gadhang (ocean) here. There is something really powerful in just sitting, watching and listening to the waves crash over. One by one, rolling into the next – blue-green water glistening under the sun. One way that I like to look after my mental health is by taking a drive around the beaches of Newcastle or finding a nice spot to sit or swim at Bar Beach. When I sit at the beach, I think about how special it is knowing that First Nations people have enjoyed the same beauty and energy here for tens of thousands of years before me. In the days after my stroke, I found out that I wasn’t allowed to drive for six months and I was absolutely devastated. But I was mostly worried about how I would get to the places I love. I had to accept that it was time for me to share these special places with others and for them to be seen through my eyes.
Read Courtney's full blog (EnableMe website)
