(light music)
- Knowing the signs and symptoms of a stroke
is the first step
in ensuring medical help is received immediately.
But too many people don't even know what stroke is.
Susan didn't.
Susan is a 53 year old woman,
a wife, and a mother of two teenagers.
Susan works as an administrative secretary.
She stays busy with her kids' school, and sports activities.
In her spare time, Susan enjoys gardening, reading,
and playing the piano.
One day Susan suddenly developed a severe headache
and confusion while at work.
Susan thought she was getting sick
and went home early to lie down and rest.
In reality Susan was having a stroke.
Over the next several months,
Susan and her family's lives were turned upside down.
Susan spent several days in a hospital
followed by months of therapy.
A stroke is a brain attack.
A stroke occurs when the flow
of blood to the brain is blocked.
When this happens, brain cells die, and brain damage occurs.
For each minute a stroke goes untreated
and blood flow to the brain continues to be blocked,
a person loses about 1.9 million neurons.
This could mean that a person's speech, movement, memory,
and so much more can be affected.
There are two main types of stroke,
ischemic stroke and hemorrhagic stroke.
Ischemic stroke happens
when an artery in the brain is blocked
interrupting the flow of blood.
Ischemic strokes account for about 87% of all strokes.
Hemorrhagic stroke happens
when a blood vessel in the brain bursts
and blood spills into or around the brain.
Each year nearly 800,000 people in the US
experience a stroke.
That's one stroke every 40 seconds.
Stroke often doesn't kill you,
but some survivors say they would have rather died
than be left with severe disability,
and not be able to care for themselves.
The good news is that some people who have had a stroke
will make a full recovery.
But the reality is that more than two thirds of survivors
will have some type of disability.
Let's revisit Susan's story,
she could no longer work or enjoyed the things she did
because her stroke left her with many deficiencies.
Weakness on the left side, vision problems,
problems distinguishing distance,
problems with short-term memory,
trouble speaking, tiredness.
Susan's personality changed,
and she struggled with accepting the new her.
She grieved for the life and identity
she lost so suddenly and unexpectedly.
Susan became depressed, and developed anxiety
over not being able to do even the simple tasks in life.
How well one recovers may depend on the location, type,
and severity of the stroke.
For example, someone who has a small stroke
may experience only minor problems,
such as weakness of an arm or leg.
A person who has a larger stroke
may be paralyzed on one side or lose the ability to speak.
Stroke survivors often feel like victims,
and question why stroke happened to them.
They often feel life is unjust
and have difficulty embracing their life after stroke.
Stroke can turn someone's life upside down
and their recovery is often lifelong,
but stroke impacts the entire family.
Family members oftentimes
become caregivers for the stroke survivor
and they play a prominent role
throughout the post-stroke recovery process.
Family members and caregivers
are essential to successful home care.
Caregivers and family members may do a lot of things,
assist with doctor's appointments,
medications, and exercises,
manage financial matters and transportation,
provide physical, mental, and emotional support,
assist with daily activities
such as personal care and hygiene,
plan care including setting routines,
and managing the care team,
assess medical needs,
communicate with healthcare professionals,
and advocate for the stroke survivor.
Caring for a stroke survivor at home
can cause high levels of emotional, mental,
and physical stress for the caregiver.
In addition, disruption of employment and family life
makes caregiving very challenging.
Family caregivers can promote positive
post-stroke recovery outcomes,
however, they need to care for themselves as well.
In Susan's case, she was unable to return to work
and her husband became the main caregiver
and supporter of the family.
They faced financial burden due to loss of secondary income
and cost associated with post-stroke recovery.
Remember that stroke can happen to anyone
at any age and at any time.
Knowing your risk for stroke
and stroke warning signs can make a big difference.
Use FAST to remember the warning signs of stroke.
F is for face, does one side of the face droop?
A is for arms, does one arm drift downward?
S is for speech, is their speech slurred or strange?
T is for time, if you observe any of these signs,
call 911 immediately.
Arm yourself with knowledge
to prevent stroke happening to you or your loved one.
Learn more at stroke.org.