Friday, April 22, 2016

S is for Stroke

Labor Day 2011, I had a cerebellar stroke. It was caused from my diabetes, and a blood clot. It happened in the back of my brain. I did not know it, but, I had been having mini strokes, before the big one. It was very scary, while I was in ICU, my brain started swelling. At one point, they thought they were going to have to take me into surgery, and remove half of my skull. Praise God, the swelling finally went down. The stroke affected my balance, speech, and vision. When I left the hospital, I had to go to rehab, basically had to learn to walk all over again. I still have a 100% blocked artery in the back of my brain, they cannot remove it, because of where it is located.                 

What is a stroke?

Stroke occurs when blood supply to the brain is interrupted, and brain tissue is damaged.
The two main types of stroke are:
  • Ischaemic - where a blood clot forms in the brain. This accounts for about 8, out of 10 instances of stroke.
  • Hemorrhagic - when a blood vessel in the brain bursts, and causes a brain hemorrhage.
Stroke can be especially damaging physically, but may also cause mental problems with thought, or speech.

What are stroke symptoms?

The warning signs of a stroke are given the acronym FAST:
  • Face - stroke will often affect muscles on one side of the face, causing the mouth, or eyes to droop down in contrast with the unaffected side
  • Arms - a person having had a stroke, may be unable to hold up one of their arms
  • Speech - slurred speech may be a sign of a stroke
  • Time - refers to the need for urgent action, call 911 immediately if one, or more of the symptoms are present.      
Other symptoms of a stroke may include:



  • Sudden numbness or weakness on one side of the body
  • Confusion
  • Trouble seeing
  • Dizziness
  • Loss of balance
  • Double vision
  • Severe headache
Sometimes people may experience a stroke, without being fully aware that they have had one. This kind of stroke is called a transient ischaemic attack (TIA), and is sometimes referred to as a ‘mini-stroke’.
The NHS states that there may be up to 65,000 people affected by a TIA each year, but many of these go unreported.
Any suspicion of stroke, should prompt an instant emergency call.

Am I at high risk of having a stroke?

Having diabetes increases the risk of stroke. Other factors which further raise the risk of stroke include:
  • Smoking
  • Obesity
  • Having high blood pressure
  • Elevated blood cholesterol levels
  • Excessive alcohol intake
  • Having a family history of heart disease, or stroke

17 comments:

  1. Thank you for sharing this information. Praying that you will recover fully. Have a blessed weekend.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Too many people don't take stroke seriously enough, thank you for spreading the word!

    ReplyDelete
  3. You have certainly been through some scary times. I have high blood pressure but keep it under control with medication. I don't mess around with that. Or getting it checked. The consequences can be so life changing.

    ReplyDelete
  4. You've been sharing some great information...just sad you've had to actually experience these problems. Thanks for stopping by today...hope you have a great weekend.

    ReplyDelete
  5. It is a scary thing to experience as an observer so I can't even imagine how scary it is to experience first hand. My hubby just went through a stroke. Scary stuff.

    ReplyDelete
  6. We're pretty sure a series of mini strokes is what caused the downward spiral of my grandmother. Scary stuff.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Praise God you were spared. Thanks for sharing important information even as part of a personal experience.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Good information. I pray that Jesus will touch your brain where that needs to be fixed and move on your behalf.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Hi, Denise! You have certainly been through the wringer! My heart goes out to you! I can't imagine what your experiences have been like. This was an informative and helpful post!

    I read that you attempted suicide in 2015, and I am very glad that you didn't! There is so much in life that is wonderful, even when it comes with many challenges. I'm saying this as someone who has struggled with suicidal thoughts many times in my life! I cling to the thought of what my suicide would do to the ones I love. I'm am sure that Eddie and Coco would have been devastated by your loss.

    I love how upbeat and cheerful the images of all the fairies on your blog are! Have a happy day!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Good information to have. Thank you.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Good information. We're glad you are able to share it!

    Your Pals,

    Murphy and Stanley

    ReplyDelete
  12. I am so happy that you survived those strokes and didn't have to have that scary-sounding skull surgery!

    My grandma had a brain hemorrhage when she had my youngest aunt, but I don't know if it was called a stroke or not back then.

    Birth control pills can also increase the risk of a stroke as I found out back in 1992. I went to the ER with a horrible headache. They told me to stop taking them as I was on the verge of a stroke. I stopped taking them right then and there.

    I hope and pray that you never have another stroke. {{{Hugs}}}

    Have a blessed evening!

    ReplyDelete
  13. My heart goes out to you! You have dealt with so much.

    ReplyDelete
  14. How scary! I'm glad the swelling went down and you were able to recover without needing surgery.

    ReplyDelete
  15. My granddaddy had a stroke when I was just a baby. I never got to know him for the man he once was, but based on my grandma's love and care for him, I knew he was a good man.

    ReplyDelete
  16. You have quite an informative blog! I am sorry about the stroke you suffered. I do hope you've made a full recovery!

    ReplyDelete
  17. You have had to struggle so much in your lifetime, that I'm just certain you will one day find Heaven a wonderful place to be when you are free of all of that! I am proud of you for finding the faith and courage to keep going, there are so many little blessings we receive each day!

    ReplyDelete