May is Stroke Awareness Month. Entertainer Della Reese is a stroke survivor and encourages others who experience stroke.
Learn more about stroke from the National Stroke Association. You will find information about risk factors, prevention, and recovery on the organization’s Web site as well as in National Stroke Awareness Month: Stroke Risk Factors and Symptoms
This is a very important subject for me, as, like Della Reese, I am a stroke survivor.
You can read my story in the following posts:
- National Stroke Awareness Month: My Stroke – the Beginning
- National Stroke Awareness Month: My Stroke – The Next Three Days
- National Stroke Awareness Month: My Stroke – the Aftermath
Knowing the signs of stroke and acting FAST can save a life or prevent serious problems. Last September, my husband showed signs of stroke, which I recognized immediately. I called EMS, even though he kept insisting he would be fine. When the paramedics arrived, I told them I thought he was having a stroke, and they agreed and rushed him to the emergency room.
I called my priest and we prayed all the way to the hospital. Thanks be to God, Jack was diagnosed with a transient ischemic attack (TIA), sometimes called a mini-stroke, rather than a full-fledged stroke. However, about 40% of the people who have TIAs have strokes, often within a few days of the TIA. I am convinced that a combination of prayer and FAST action to get medical treatment for Jack prevented a serious stroke.