A newly-wed British woman is stranded in a Portuguese hospital after suffering a stroke in her sleep during a weekend break with her husband. Shereen Lafferty, 37, from Glasgow, woke up on Sunday, September 20, in Faro unable to speak and with her right side paralysed, according to her sister-in-law.
Condition improving after intensive care
Lafferty, who married Robert in March, spent around five days in intensive care at the Faro hospital. Her condition has since improved: she has taken a few steps but remains unable to talk. She cannot receive speech therapy in English while in Portugal, her sister-in-law Apryll, 32, told Glasgow Live.
Apryll said: “It was a complete shock. I was devastated to be honest. Shereen is such a nice person. She's the type of person that helps everybody and goes above and beyond.”
Doctors advise two more weeks in hospital
Doctors have advised that Lafferty, from Provan Hall in the east end of Glasgow, will remain in hospital for at least two more weeks before she can be transferred on a medically assisted flight home. The flight will cost the family as much as £25,000.
Apryll has launched a GoFundMe page to help raise the money. She added that her brother Robert, 36, has been “trying to stay positive” and has been issuing regular updates to the family on his wife's condition.
Family keeps daughter sheltered from details
Apryll said: “He's saying that she will be fine as long as she can keep making progress, and that things are going in a positive direction for her. The doctors confirmed that it had been a stroke through the night, estimating it had happened between midnight and 7am.”
Lafferty was moved to a normal ward on Friday, September 25, which Apryll called “a massive step.” She said: “She has taken a few steps and is actively trying to speak, but being in Portugal and speaking Portuguese, they can't offer any speech therapy for her, which is one of the biggest reasons to try and get her home.”
The family has decided to shelter nine-year-old daughter Aria, who is staying with Lafferty's mum, from the full details of why her parents haven't returned. Apryll said: “She's obviously quite upset at her mum being away. She's used to having her mum all the time, so she'll be devastated about the fact that she's not with her right now. But she's with her gran, who she's really close to, so she's okay and being well looked after.”
Apryll added: “It's hard being so far from home without everyone being able to help out and share the load of visits and the emotional stress. I'm just hoping that we can keep going in [a positive] direction and that we can get her home as soon as possible.” Donations are being collected through Apryll's GoFundMe page.
