THE blue eyes of Jon Cusick look startled and confused as he stares through a pair of frosted spectacles designed to help him with his double vision.
Lying on a bed in a room of his own on Seacole ward at Nottingham City Hospital he can only gaze at those who gather round his bedside.
Three strokes caused by blood clots that struck one of the main arteries to his brain have left Jon, who used to cycle at least 100 miles every weekend, paralysed from head to toe.
Doctors have diagnosed him with locked-in syndrome.
"He has good days and bad days," said his wife of 19 years, Kate. "Sometimes he cries because of his situation. It's been a shock for all of us to deal with."
But in the 12 weeks that Jon has been in hospital he has taken small but promising steps.
"To begin with his face looked like a mask with only his eyes that could move. But as the weeks have gone by he has been able to move his head slightly, and he can now smile," said Kate, 44.
Consultant physician Dr Sunil Mushi said it was "extremely rare" for men of Jon's age to suffer a stroke of such a scale , and 80 per cent of those who do usually die.
He said: "Witnessing the fighting determination of Jon, and the support of his wife and his family, really has been an eye-opener.
"I think they have been amazing."
Jon and Kate have had to learn to communicate from scratch, using a tool which colour-co-ordinates letters.
"He has to spell out words with his eyes," said Kate, who has had to have time off from her job at Greenwood Dale Foundation Trust.
"The whole thing has taken a lot of getting used to, but we're making progress.
"In less than 48 hours my husband had gone from someone who had never smoked, didn't drink to excess, ate healthily and cycled 100 miles at weekends, to a patient on a critical care ward with a very uncertain future," she said.
Since the strokes, which happened over two days in late March, Kate and Jon's mother Wendy have been making contact with other people who have suffered from locked-in syndrome to ask for advice and tips on how to cope.
"We made contact with Kate Allatt, who had locked-in syndrome, and she has made a full recovery.
"Doctors just don't know how much Jon will improve at this stage," said Kate.
Cycling enthusiast Jon has even had a handwritten "get well" message from Olympic legend Sir Chris Hoy, and his friends visit him and read him passages from Bradley Wiggins' autobiography.
Today John celebrated his 46th birthday in hospital and, while he was spending time with friends and family, members of his spinning club – Revolution Fitness in Eastwood – were cycling 80 miles to raise money for the Stroke Association.
Friends recently took part in a sponsored walk at Rufford Abbey and raised more than £1,000 for the charity.
Louise Knight, Stroke Association fundraising manager, says: "We rely on people like Jon's friends and family to help us change lives.
"The money raised will go to help prevent strokes and reduce their effect through campaigning, education and research, and also to help support the 88,000 people adjusting to a life after stroke in the East Midlands."
To find out about local Stroke Association events or fundraising, contact eastmidsfundraising@stroke.org.uk or call 0115 871 2471.
