Bringing up a young family is challenging enough for anyone.

But for Claire Withnall there are even greater challenges.

Claire was just 29 when she had a stroke in 2013.

It was the result of a large brain haemorrhage caused by an arteriovenous malformation - a condition which leads to an abnormal tangle of blood vessels connecting arteries and veins.

She did not even know she had it before her life-changing episode.

Since then it has been a long and difficult journey for Claire and her family, but she is determined not to let her illness define her.

Blogger Claire, from Colchester, worked as a real estate solicitor for a City law firm before deciding to leave law behind to focus on being a mum.

“I am now happily unemployable,” she said. “I liked being at home anyway.

“It’s just the boredom I find really difficult. I walk with a walker and I have really bad double vision. This is made a lot better by a coloured contact lens, but that means I can only see out of my left eye.

“I also really struggle with verbal communication. I can say what I think, but I can’t think or speak as quickly as I used too and I sound really different.

“Also, my memory isn’t the same. Where as it used to be very good, I now forget things.”

Claire has two children aged seven and nine and her recovery has been about seeking that so precious but under-rated status of normality.

She said: “Of course, things can’t quite be the same; that’s why it’s a semblance. My life is similar to what it was before, but not exactly as it was.

“I’ve always pushed myself to achieve and now is no different. But you must be kind to yourself and recognise that some days will be harder than others.

“My life now is basically identifying practical problems then deciding how to best resolve them.”

Technology has played a big part in helping Claire. A smart speaker has proved invaluable providing a morning routine for her children, prompting them four times to get ready.

It then gives them instructions so they are ready to leave a 8.33am on the dot.

Before the helping hand in the form of technology came along Claire would write routine charts while she visited the Headway Centre once a week for a break.

She said: “It’s really important. It makes life easier and the children know what is expected of them. Now, I use Alexa to make sure we’re all on task.”

And the the smart speaker has had lots of other advantages too, from Claire being able to use it to do virtual grocery shopping to switching off lights.

“If the children are watching the TV and not responding to me, I can simply instruct Alexa to turn it off. I hate starting my day raising my voice and so having two-way intercom is absolutely necessary. Before this, I used walkie talkies because I do not have a very loud voice and I need the children to hear me when they are upstairs.”

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Claire also makes good use of the dictation skills she used as a solicitor. She uses voice notes on WhatsApp and the audio facility on messenger because it’s so much quicker.

But it is not all about technology for Claire.

Claire is creative and having been ill has not stopped her from being inventive.

“Since my brain haemorrhage, I haven’t been able to return to work, but I have always seen the time at home with my children as a gift; even more so since I became ill,” she said.

“I hate being bored and so I spend a lot of time coming up with educational activities for my children. Many of these activities are not just useful for disabled parents, but anyone who cares for children.”

Claire talks about using clipboards, as an example. She’s uses them to keep her children engaged with their environment. When they go for a walk, the children will often have their clipboards with them.

“I provide different activity sheets for them to complete,” she said. “They tick-off things they have seen or now they are older, I include questions, or I ask them to write-down facts. Giving them added responsibility also helps their behaviour; it keeps them focused and engaged. For any parent, it’s a huge help.”

It was important for Claire to make sure her home was not like a hospital. The whole not-looking clinical thing is important to me,” she said.

“So, with a lot of research, my husband and I came up with solutions to make the house practical but not like a hospital. We wanted it to feel like our family-home.”

The kitchen has been adapted to make it easier for Claire to access cooking items and she wouldn’t be without her coffee machine.

Claire also has her own space, her therapy room. She describes it as her sanctuary and is home to her treadmill where she completes her daily steps, whilst watching TV.

Claire is adamant she will not let her illness define her. “My stubborn streak has been useful,” she said.”Without it, having to re-learn to walk using a frame wouldn’t have happened because it has taken constant persistence and endless patience.

“I don’t let what happened to me define everything any more than it has to. I am still me.

“It’s what made me become a lawyer and a good mummy.”