Melle Stewart home and away actress, supports vaccination astrazeneca
Australian actress who suffered a stroke following a COVID-19 immunization remains a fervent proponent of vaccination.
The husband of an Australian actress who suffered a stroke following a COVID-19 vaccination is a staunch supporter of the vaccine, despite the fact that his wife is making significant progress in her rehabilitation after facing a life-threatening situation.
Melle Stewart, 40, is relearning to walk and communicate after receiving the AstraZeneca vaccination.
She required surgery to remove a portion of her brain and spent weeks in intensive care on a ventilator in the hospital – but is now in rehabilitation and healing nicely, according to her husband.
While actor Ben Lewis' wife came dangerously close to death from the one-in-a-million rare condition, she encourages everyone to get vaccinated if they haven't already.
"Obviously, if you're going to win a lottery, you'd rather it was the other one," he told 9news.com.au from the couple's London home.
"She is adamant that people understand she continues to promote immunization.
"We've both discussed how, if we had our time again and had no idea what would happen, we would have done the same thing."
Stewart attended the renowned Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts in Perth, where the pair met, and has starred in a number of stage productions in the United Kingdom and Australia, including the lead role in Mamma Mia!
The couple has spent the last decade in London, where they have both appeared in numerous productions, with Lewis best renowned for his portrayal of the Phantom in Phantom of the Opera.
However, due to the pandemic's influence on the theatre, Stewart was working as a theater instructor and he was working in a bar when she fell ill in June.
Lewis remembered the moment his 12-year-old wife realized something was wrong two weeks after receiving the immunization and happily posing for a photo at the vaccination center.
"We went to bed at 10 p.m. that night and Mel awoke feeling strange around midnight," he told 9News.com.au.
He stated that he believed she had just lay strangely, resulting in a 'dead' right arm.
Stewart was unable to bear weight on her right leg when she stood.
They were brought to a nearby hospital in an Uber.
While the initial tests were negative, Stewart rapidly deteriorated and eventually lost her ability to talk and move her right side.
The pair was airlifted to the larger St George's Hospital.
Doctors determined she had suffered a stroke as a result of Vaccine-Induced Thrombocytopenic Thrombosis (VITT).
Surgeons removed a portion of her skull to save her life.
"Had they not done it, the pressure would have killed her," Lewis explained.
Stewart spent nearly four weeks in an induced coma following surgery.
Due to the travel prohibition, her family members, including six siblings and her parents, were unable to visit her in Australia.
Lewis, who was only permitted to see her every three days owing to COVID-19 regulations, recalls the moment she regained consciousness.
"I recall very well the day I looked her in the eyes and saw that she had returned," he explained. "That was an incredible sensation."
Stewart's condition has improved and he is now being treated in a rehabilitation hospital in London's south west.
And, while it is too early to predict if she will fully recover, her husband is optimistic.
"She is very committed to her therapy. The NHS staff is simply fantastic "Lewis stated.
"The indications are beneficial for her walking. Her muscles are gradually regaining strength in her right leg, which is remarkable." The ultimate game is usually challenging. Recovery from brain damage is highly individual.
"What we are grateful for is Mel's complete understanding of everything. "
She is incapable of speaking in complete sentences. She is well aware of what she wishes to communicate; she simply lacks the ability to communicate it.
"We know Mel was in excellent health, as she is only 40 years old.
"We're hopeful that all of these factors will contribute to her being able to make significant improvement."
He stated that he fully expects her to be able to participate in the arts in some capacity in the future.
"My first hope was that she would return to me - for a few weeks, I wasn't sure that would happen," he explained.
"However, knowing my wife, I would never cap anything."
Lewis described the pair as "blessed" by the outpouring of support from the global theatre community.
Celebrities, like Today Extra anchor David Campbell, have spoken on social media about the family's charity campaign.
The TGA, an Australian medical regulatory organization, reported that eight people had died in Australia as a result of the blood clotting disease caused by more than 12 million doses.
"The risk of dying from TTS following vaccination is around one in a million in Australia," the TGA stated.
"As with all medications, COVID-19 vaccinations may cause adverse reactions. "
The vast majority of them are mild and resolve in a matter of days."
To far, 156 occurrences of TTS have been linked to Vaxzevria (AstraZeneca) vaccination doses totaling roughly 12.6 million."
Severe or prolonged headaches, impaired vision, confusion, or seizures, shortness of breath, chest pain, leg swelling, or persistent abdomen pain, odd skin bruises, or pinpoint round spots beyond the site of immunization are all possible symptoms.