Island Life Magazine Ltd August/September 2011 | Page 38

INTERVIEW

Island MP: my
greatest battle
Andrew Turner and partner Carole Dennett
talk exclusively to Peter White
Andrew Turner’s life changed forever
on December 8, 2006, even though he
has little recollection of it.
However, that day is permanently
etched in the mind of Andrew’s
long-time partner Carole Dennett, the
woman the Island’s MP calls his ‘rock’.
Andrew was guest speaker at a
Conservative Club ladies’ lunch in
Shanklin, and towards the end of his
short speech he tried to crack a joke
that no one understood. Then he
had difficulty answering a question
so decided to leave the
gathering to try to clear
his head.
Upon his return he fell
over, and within minutes
some of those around
him realised what was
happening, although
Carole openly admits she
didn’t have a clue. Andrew was rushed
to St Mary’s Hospital having suffered a
massive stroke.
For an agonising 24 hours Carole
genuinely thought her partner was
going to die. Thankfully he pulled
through to begin a long, painful
and complicated recovery that is
still continuing, but has enabled
him to recently complete 10 years
as the Island’s voice in the House of
Commons.
For the first time since that fateful
day nearly five years ago, Andrew and
Carole sat together in their home in
Newport to recount to me the setbacks
and achievements that have taken

place since. Andrew knows he is not
the first, and will not be the last to
be disabled by such a condition. It is
known as expressive aphasia, which
basically means his brain works the
same as it always did, but the problem
is sometimes converting his thoughts
into speech.
But as a high profile figure constantly
in the public eye his and Carole’s story
can serve as an inspiration to anyone
who has undergone, or may undergo
similar traumas. During our interview

back stairs of the club. When I came
back in I fell over – and that’s it, I
cannot remember anything else about
that day.”
Carole takes up the story: “It
sounded like Andrew was a bit drunk,
he was slurring his words but I knew
he hadn’t been drinking. He slumped
down but I had no idea what was
happening, and didn’t know what
to do. Then someone asked ‘did he
have the crab starter, because crab
always makes me feel like that’!”
That comment brought
spontane ous laughter in
their home – it seemed
it was the first time
Andrew had ever heard
that that little piece of the
comedy-drama.
The ambulance arrived
at the Conservative Club
within minutes and Andrew was
rushed to hospital, Carole remembers:
“He was holding my hand but not
making any sense, and it was the
ambulance staff that told me he had
probably had a stroke.”
Andrew remembers nothing else for
about two days, but for Carole the
nightmare was about to get worse.
During a critical 24-hour period, she
recalls: “I was shown the scan that was
taken and there was this big bleed in
his head, and the hospital staff told me
to phone his family and tell them to
come, because there was nothing they
could do. I wanted answers, but they
told me they just didn’t know whether

'I fell over and that's it. I cannot
remember anything else
about that day.'

38

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there were hoots of laughter and tears
of emotion from this dedicated couple,
who have shared each other’s lives for
the last 19 years.
They held hands at times, hugged
each other, and when his hazy
memories became difficult for Andrew
to talk about, his ‘rock’ was there
to kiss him gently on the head and
ease him through. In my many years
of conducting interviews this was
undoubtedly one of the most emotive.
Andrew recalls: “During the lunch
one of my answers to a question didn’t
make sense, but perhaps that was not
unusual! Then I sat down, but felt
quite tired, so went and sat on the