Unlocking the puzzle: a narrative inquiry into the experiences of people with transient ischaemic attack or minor stroke

Transient ischaemic attack and minor stroke are medical emergencies and significant warning signs for stroke. To date, much of the research attention has been focused on identifying the most beneficial pathway of healthcare for people with transient ischaemic attack or minor stroke. Yet, little is known about the lived experiences of transient ischaemic attack and minor stroke or how these experiences are shaped by health services. In this thesis, a narrative inquiry was undertaken to explore the experiences of twelve individuals with transient ischaemic attack or minor stroke. Data was collected in one, face-to-face, semi-structured interview. To analyse the participant stories, an extension of the narrative inquiry methodology was developed that explores both individual experiences and the commonalities between experiences within the temporal, social, and place domains of narrative inquiry. Through their stories of experience, novel insights were revealed including an altered perception of time, the roles of others in help-seeking, and the impact of living with a disrupted body. Furthermore, exploring their experiences led to the recognition of a grieving process and the development of a new model of grief that perceives grief in liminal spaces. Healthcare pathways also shaped participant experiences of transient ischaemic attack and minor stroke through their current and past interactions. Thus, every interaction with healthcare services informed their future decisions and behaviours. Importantly, exploring these interactions led to my discovery of a new theory of help-seeking behaviour that explains why some individuals seek help while others do not. In this thesis, the stories of twelve individuals with transient ischaemic attack and minor stroke, and the commonalities between their stories, are explored, relived and retold. In doing so, the intricacy and complexity of their transient ischaemic attack and minor stroke experiences are revealed.