Hello Everyone! Bella here! (also known as Benjamin’s beloved)
I wanted to make a post to help educate and inform all that sit around Brother’s Campfire.
Before I had a stroke I never thought about it or even really knew what it was. Now I know very clearly what a stroke is.
I want to educate others so that if they ever come across someone who’s having a stroke or if they’re having one themselves they know the signs and how to get help. The likelihood of needing to know this information is very high.
Every 4 minutes someone dies of a stroke. Also every 40 seconds someone in the USA has a stroke and with treatment becomes a survivor. The probability of you coming across someone that you know that either has had a stroke or that can have possibility have a stroke is pretty high.
So what is a stroke? A stroke is defined as an interruption of blood flow to or in the brain. This could be by a blood clot or a hemorrhage.
I would like to adress a few misconceptions on this topic.
The first misconception is that you have to be old to have a stroke. This is not true.
I had a stroke and I’m 39 which is not old.
At least in my opinion.
Approximately 79,500 people that have a stroke are under the age of 45 and over 4,000 newborns incur a stroke and over 2,000 children a year as well.
It never really occured to me until recently my daughter was one of those newborns. They didn’t label it a stroke, but she did have hemorrhage in the brain. So far, by definition, it would qualify as a stroke. If you would like to hear more about that here’s a link below to a blog post that was written about that time.
If you’re interested in my perspective of my daughter’s birth, comment below.
The second misconceptions is that you have to have poor health in order to have a stroke.
Granted, if you eat a healthy diet and exercise you can help prevent a stroke. However, health does not indicate whether you will have a stroke or not. Those that have had trauma or have high blood pressure are more at risk. Before I had my stroke I was walking 3 to 6 miles a day. I was intermittent fasting to have my body help repair itself. During my eating hours, I was trying to include vegetables and proteins, and fats with lower amounts of carbs. I was taking vitamins at the time for any nutrition I might have lacked.
The day before I had my stroke I ran a 5K in 37 minutes.
Not to mention a few weeks before I had done the incline in Manitou Springs. I felt good. I was feeling healthy, I was losing weight, and I felt like I was in the best shape I had ever been in.
Then, on December 2nd out of nowhere, I suffered a stroke, the doctors say they don’t know why I had a stroke they said I didn’t have any markers for blood clots in my DNA. They said I looked healthy no high blood pressure. They said it was unexplainable and they kept asking me if I had had any trauma to my head.
There are three different types of strokes,
Ischemic stroke, Hemorrhagic stroke, and a mini-stroke.
Ischemic Strokes are 87% more likely to happen. An Ischemic stroke occurs when there’s a blood clot obstructing the blood flow to the brain.
Hemorrhagic stroke is when there is a rupture of a blood vessel in the brain therefore starving the brain that is no longer receiving oxygen.gray matter does not like blood and if there is lose blood in the brain it will cause damage
Mini strokes can happen when there’s an electrical misfire in the brian or can be classified under one of the other two but generally more minor.
I had an ischemic stroke on the right side of my brain however later I found out that perhaps I might have had a hemorrhagic stroke as well because I did have bleeding on my brain.
Now I’d like to inform you on how to know if someone is having a stroke. Some of the signs are:
1. One-sided weaknes
2 tingling or numbness sensation
3 Headache
4 slurred speech a person might not be able to speak words that even make sense.
5 dizziness or vomiting
6 face droop
If you think someone is having a stroke, you should ask them to smile and check for face droop you should ask them to lift both arms and see if one hand might not be able to lift like the other. If they can’t smile with both sides of their face and one side of their body is unable to lift, this is a sign that a person might be having a stroke.
If someone is having a stroke they need to get the medical attention right away. Call 911.
CDC guidelines say that if a person is seen within three hours of from the onset of a stroke that person is a lot less likely to have disabilities after the stroke. The treatment for an ischemic stroke is a clot-buster or surgery to remove the clot. Treatment for hemorrhagic stroke is to be closely monitored by trained physician and brain surgery is possible. Not getting medical attention can lead to permanent disability or death.
It is better to be safe than sorry. Every life has a great value and should not be calculated by medical bills.
I hope that this information might help someone in the future to help them to be more informed about strokes.
The effects of a stroke can be very devastating; individuals can lose the ability to understand their spoken language and their ability to talk. Your memory can be erased. There is a possibility a person might have to learn how to read again and how to do math again. There is a great likelihood to need to learn how to reuse your limbs to walk and your hand and arm to move.
The longer you wait to receive medical attention, the more severe the damage can be to your brain.
Thank you for reading this post if you have any questions or comments please leave them below.
Thank you for sharing – I’m SO glad you’re able to share this information! Very educational – I learned a lot from this post! God bless you and your beautiful family ❤️
Best wishes on your journey to full recovery and thanks for the information about strokes. As you say, they can happen to anyone at anytime.
Thank you very much, it is very informative and I appreciate the practical advice on how to detect the occurrence of stroke. I’m glad your recovery is going well, cheers!
Thank you for you comment!It is going well indeeed.
Thank you for this information. So glad you are okay! Praying blessings for your health and recovery. God bless you and your family!
Thank you for posting this. I will share.
I am glad I am ok too.Thank you for your prayers ryan they are working!
Hoping you will continue to recover well and have such a great positive attitude! God bless you and your family.
Reivers,I hope to continue to recover as well. I wish I could say I am postive all the time. I do try to stay positive and motivated. Thank you for your suppport and for your comment!
Blessings! You can call me Nico.
I’m so glad to see you doing so much better!
Canada ran a big FAST campaign: Face drooping?
Arm weak?
Speech slurred/impaired?
Time to call 911!
Best wishes as you recover. My brother had a stroke a few years ago (and thankfully has fully recovered). So, I know how important it is that more people know the signs of a stroke. Thanks for putting out the info.
Diana
,Thank you for you for sharing. so sorry to hear about you brother having a stroke. I am so glad he fully recoved.Please take care. For sure it is good to know you never when you might need the infomation.
❤️❤️
Thank you, Bella. ♥️ God bless you as I know he does! Love to you and your lovely family. ♥️
BBYCGN
Thank you!I know I am blessed to be alive. Thank you for leaving a comment.
Your hair is beautiful, Bella. Love those curls!
Thank you!
BBYCGN isn’t my birth name; I just use it for anonymity.
I totally get that.
Thank you
Ah my dear, dear friend. Thank you for writing this. Thinking of what happened to you always triggers a myriad of feelings. I an so thankful you are alive and steadily recovering. God is so good. It is true that people should be aware of how often strokes happen and of how yo check the symptoms. I was unaware that it affected so many children.
Thank you Ashley it trigggers many things in me as well.I am thankful for good friend s that lift me up in prayer.
Bella – thank you for sharing this information! I am praying you are back to 100%. Text me anytime, love keeping up on how you and the family are doing!
Thank you for your prayers. I hope all is welll with you. If you need anything let us know
This is wonderful share. Thank you
Thank you for your comment
Bless you 🙏 Glad you’re on the road to recovery ⚘ Thank you for sharing 💙
Krista,
I’m on the road again 🎵..☺🚙… I can wait to be on the road again …🏃Thank you for the comment. Thank you for your prayers.
Thank you for writing this. I wish you the best.
Etikser,
Thank you for stopping by…. Wishing you the best as well
We are all thankful you are doing so well. Very important information you have shared as well.
Thank you Herb and Happy Birthday!
You’re welcome. Thank you!
Great post and so informative.. so happy you are on the mend and doing well.. Keep healing and taking care and sharing great information! 💖
Cindy thank you I am glad that people are feeling imformed….I will do my best to take care. You take care as well.
You are soooo welcome.
My friend also suffered a stroke at an early age and was in great shape and she is better than every now and I wish you the same.
Thanks for you blessings. 🌈💖🙏
Sorry for your friend misfortune.Thank you. Thanks for the hope you shared. I hope to eventually be better than ever.
Thanks truly for your kind words and I do know life is hopeful and delivers. Stay well! 💖💖
Thank you Bella, it is very helpful and clearly explained. Blessings!
Thank you for reading Cassa Bassa…and for the comment
This amazing post truly reflects who you are. You continue to give of yourself to help others through adversity and insurmountable hurdles. You are a blessing to us all and God has ordered your steps to use you to inspire, encourage and motivate many to push through.
I learned so much reading this post. As you know, I have family members who have had strokes, but I did not realize a lot of points you touched on. Thank you!
Yes, I would be interested in reading your perspective of her birth.
I thank God for you and your family regularly. Lord bless you all!
I thank God for you too Beverly. Thanks for comment and for believing in me I appreciate it.
😁🙏 You are most welcome, Bella. We are both so blessed. 🙌
Thank you so much, sweetie! I’m so glad you’re progressing and getting better. We’re proud of you for the effort you’re making to recover and we notice. Know that we’re all praying for The Lord to bless you with optimal health again. And He will. 💖💐🌹
Merci Cherie, for your prayers and comment. I am pressing, trying to do better.
You’re most welcome, Bella! ❤ You’re doing an awesome job and you’ll be running circles around Ben before you know it! 🏆
Few things make more of an impression than a first hand account of an experience. Thanks for sharing with us and keep up the good work on your recovery.
Aint’t that the truth.Thank you
I was in a similar situation with my hemorrhagic stroke (caused by a ruptured undetected cerebral aneurysm) back in 2019. I eat fairly well, exercise regularly, not overweight. A friend who visited me in the hospital said, “I was telling my friends up north about what happened to you. I said, he’s the healthiest person I know! He eats well, he exercises, he’s not overweight. I don’t understand it.”
But what I did have was high blood pressure, which we knew about and were monitoring, but it wasn’t so high that my doctor thought I needed medication for it yet. Obviously, if we knew I had an aneurysm, a different course of treatment would have been followed.
It’s good for survivors to share stories like this and raise awareness. I’m glad you’re here to do it!
James,
Thank you for sharing another good example of good health misconception. I would like to know how you did or are recovering?A stroke really seem like a horrible punishment when you are trying to be healthy.Praying all is well with you.
Sorry to be a year late with my reply! But I did recover well, thank you. I do credit the exercising with helping me not die and having a good outcome (along with, you know, all the attention and treatment in the hospital). From recent posts it sounds like you are also doing well, and I’m glad to hear that! 🙂
Important data indeed, but mostly I want to say how wonderfully well you’re doing! From all I’ve seen of strokes, every day is an uphill battle, and thus, very prayer-worthy. You are downright amazing! 🌷
Thank you…. I will accept the challenge. Not that I have a choice. I like to like mountains. Uphill is right.
Hi Bella, you amaze me. I have been reading your updates. My aunt (not a blood relative) had a stroke about your age. Her family was prone to them, she did everything right, as her doctor requested. She did recover. Thank you for sharing your story. We cheer you on the Western slope.
So glad to hear you aunt recovered.Thank you for your cheers
Yes, she amazed me. She had to learn to redo everything. I hope you continue doing well.
Thank you salsaworld traveler!Best wishes to you and your world travel adventures.
Leendall,
Thank you sharing the F.A.S.T acronym. I’m so glad that in Canada that they have a campaign to help inform people on such an important issue.
Great information that everyone needs to know. All the best in your continuing recovery. Maggie
Thank you so much for such an important post my friend.
The UK has an ongoing campaign called ACT FAST (Face, Arm, Speech, Time) to highlight the importance of recognising and responding to a stroke for all of the reasons you so eloquently list here.
Wishing you all the best in your recovery and sending positivity to you and your family 🖤🖤🖤
Thank you for sharing this invaluable information…
And I’m glad the you are recovering. 😊
My dear friend , thank you so much for sharing this with us( me). This will help so many others know what to do for someone . I know I learned a lot from the information you shared. I thank God everyday for saving you and being here with us today as well as recovering! So proud of you buddy! Remember, keep and stay motivated!!😁😁 always in my prayers 🤗
I believe in yoooouuuuuuu!!!!
Thanks for the information (I was very ignorant on the topic) although it is scary. Happy to see your recovery.
Thank you so much for this very important information. I was surprised to read infants and children having strokes. I am thankful you are blessed to share with us. Have a great day/night and remain safe. God bless you and your family.
Thanks for the posting!
We have been continuously praying for your recovery and strength as well as strength for the family. Was surprised about how infants get them as well.
Thanks for the posting!
We have been continuously praying for your recovery and strength as well as strength for the family. Was surprised about how infants get them as well.
very good advice, Bella, and well expressed. Thank You
thank you for the valuable informations
Bella, I wish you a speedy and complete recovery. Thank you for posting this lifesaving information. I had a mild heart attack in 2007 and have two stents in my heart, so I knew these signs, but this was a good review for me! I was sorry to hear that children were at risk for stroke. Hope your daughter is OK now. <3
It seems like you are doing better and I pray for your continued health. I was in graduate school learning about neurogenic disorders and a relative called with all of the classic symptoms of a stroke. I begged him to get to the hospital…other people thought I was being dramatic but it turns out he indeed was having a stroke! Your post is important and hopefully will save someone’s life!
Hope you have a great week!
Lots of things that need saying and can’t be said too often. Sometimes I think these things are just the ‘luck of the draw’ – they don’t have any reason or explanation behind them, they just happen. Anyway, I’m glad you’re getting past it now. Be well and stay safe!