My stoke experience

Because my recovery was almost instant, I have been reluctant to share my story with other stroke survivors who may be still in rehab & struggling with day to day recovery & may not need to hear how fortunate I was...But I realise now that I must share my story to emphasise how important F.A.S.T. is in identifying & seeking medical help immediately, so that other future stroke 'victims' can also recover as quickly & completely as I did.

To be continued asap.....

I suffered a stroke 3 years ago & am so fortunate that so many things worked in my favour:

TIME is critical in seeking medical help. I knew exactly what time the stroke occurred because I had just used the loo & it was just after 6.am. in the winter. Because it was early morning, my husband was at home & was able to call the ambulance on our landline - mobile reception unavailable.

Both my husband & I instantly recognised the F.A.S.T.symptoms i.e. I was unable to raise my right arm, my face had drooped & my speech was totally unitelligible.

We lived 45 klms from nearest major regional hospital, but the ambulance was dispatched from a local station 20 mins away & arrived asap & radioed ahead to the hospital, & on my arrival I was whisked away for a C.T. scan which identified a blood clot in my brain - an ischemic stoke - & so I could be treated with a thrombolytic drug which dissolved the clot.

I remember trying to write a msg to the nurse with my left hand, to ask if the treatment could be delayed until my husband arrived (he was following the ambulance) but just over 3 hrs had elapsed since my stroke had 'struck', and there was no time to waste.

I was unaware of the time my husband arrived, but I know we were both astonished that I was so quickly able to speak intelligibly, albeit with a slur. I was moved into ICU where my recovery was almost instant, & after only 2 nights in ICU I was discharged to go HOME. No rehap required, although I did receive follow-up medical observation which included a T.O.E. (transesophageal echocardiogram) which showed a had a "hole in my heart" - which I learnt is a common cause of ischemic stroke - & I will have to take warfarin for the rest of my life. Very fortunate outcome & I continue to be in good health - for my age! I hope other people who have had a stoke, similar to mine, have had the same positive outcome.