Melissa Clayton was left paraled and unable to speak
A Woman Who Was Left Unable to Speak or Walk AFTER AFFERING A Stroke at the Age of 33 Has “HAD A BIT OF A GLOW UP” AND IS “EXCITED TO BE BACK” TO HER NORMAL LIFE – INCLUDING BEING BACK ON THE DATTY SCENE. Melissa Clayton, Now 34, Had a Stroke in Hospital Following a seizure at her home January 2024.
She spent the subsequent three months in hospital being fed Through a tube, durying what time she is undergery to remove a bone the top of her spine on her brain, and had a shunt, Holow tube – implanted into her brain. Now, Howver, She is gearing up to return to work as a pr Account director full time, after gradually increasing her hours SINCE EARly February 2025, and is confidently back on the dating schene – endeavor that is providing her mexepected connections.
In January 2024, AT 33, Melissa was “Thriving” in Her High-Flying for Job, Working with Major Clients Like McDonald’s. She resided in a shared house in hackney wick, north-east london, and was in the process of moving into her own flat in Old Street, Central London.
One Evening after Work, Melissa Felt “A bit sick and religion” and decidated to retire to bed early. She began feeding and sufferered a seizure in bed. Her Flatmate Discovered Her and Rang for Ambulance.
Melissa’s Sole Recollection from that fateful night is a paramedic assisting her to sit up. While admitted at the Royal London Hospital in Whitechapel, East London, Melissa sufferered a Stroke. Her MUM RECUNTED THE SURGEON’S Words, stating that melissa was gravel Ill and they were uncetain about her chancs of full recovery.
During Her Hospital Stay, She Contracted Covid, Battled Two Chest Infactions, Underwent Surgery to Remove a Bone the top of her spine to alleviate pride caused by BLOOD and swamp, and had inserted into her brain. Her Facial Muscles tightened to Such an Extent That She Found It Difficult to Speak and Swallow, Necestating Tube-Feeding.
She Also Lost Mobility in Her Right Arm and Leg, Making Independent Movement and Walking a Struggle. Speaking in August 2025, Melissa Reveals that she has made Significant progress on her recovery Journey, but has also encountered some unforeseen Hurdles.
“WORK HAS ACTUALLY BEEN WAY HARDER THAN I THOUGHT, MAINLY BECAUS YOU’RE Learning what’s different, It take you longer to process information,” Melissa Shared. “ALSO, Becuse my stroke affected my emotions, I can be quite reactive Rather than Responding to someone.
“Like any Going Back to Work, if it is maternity leave or what, it does take time to get back into the swing of it,” She Said, Adding that HERE HAS BEEN SUPPORT OF THE ADJUSTENTS IT IN HER WORK LIFE.
“The thing is, i’m naturally impatient and very determining and also, i’m a perfectionist. I’m a virgo! I have been quite hard on myself, where my coach at work will be like: ‘you really need to be. UNIL I TRY IT! ”
Melissa is Making Considerable Headway in Her Personal Life as Well. She lives Alone in London-Though with Her Therapy Dog, Maya, A Pomeranian Cross-But is Getting Ready for A Relocation to Leigh-On-Sea, Essex, Awaiting the Finalisation of a House Purchase.
She has also also returned to the dating world, and whilst be initially started dating again following her stroke she discovered it to be on someone Shaky Ground, she knows “More confident” in her Quest for romance.
Whereas Previously Melissa Had Mentioned the Fact She is a Stroke Survivor on Her Dating App Profiles, she has Since Chosen to Omit That Information, As it “isn’t JUST WHO I AM”.
“I Think Also, With My Speech Getting A Bit Better, People Won’t Notice As Much,” she added. “I ALSO FEEL LIKE PROBABLY WHAT I’M LOOKING FOR IS A BIT MORIUS THAN IT WAS BACK THEN, AND THEREFORE I JUST TO GET TO KNOW BETTER BETTER IT THAT WHAT I’VE GONE THROUGH.”
Through Dating, Melissa Has Also Formed Some Surprisis Platonic Bonds – Including A Mate of A Potential Date Who Has Likewise Suffered a Stroke.
“I matched with one person who instantly said ‘i need to put you in touch with my friend’. And he’d had a stroke as well,” She said. “We ended up just chatting. We met for a coffee. I think it was about a month ago, a month or two ago. I Think it really highlighted to me how strokes really affected other People.”
In late July 2025, Melissa Had Her Feeding Tube – Which Had Been Ween Wen She Battled With Chewing AFTER The Stroke – Taken Out, Which She Describes As “Thing Just Made with Feel Clinical, JUST A DAILY REMINDER THAT I HAD IT”.
She has a also sheed some unwanten pounds, transformed her hair, and is “hereing better” with herself. “I Feel Like I’ve Had a Bit of a Glow Up,” She Revealed.
Most importantly, the traumatic ordeal has Shown Melissa not to take life for granted.
She has ben attending the theater – something – she always adored – and sampleing new restaurants with the Mate, which she explains are all things she wouls for grant her stroke.
“I really take anything Too Serious, Becuse Not Not Worse than what i’ve gone through,” She revealed. “But equally, i Also don’t have any patience for being mucked around in terms of dating.
“I Like Being Independent. I Think I Really Cherish My Independence More than anything Now, and the fact that I can what I Want, and not have to be any kind of concert or worry.”