“I never knew at 27 years old I was at risk of having a stroke. I didn’t even know what occurred during a stroke.
So on March 8 2008 when I got the most unbelievable headache it never crossed my mind that I was having a stroke.
Within five minutes of getting the headache, my symptoms worsened. My body turned weak, I was extremely light headed and had difficulty standing due to a loss of balance. I suffered numbness on the right hand side of my body. My biggest concern was loss of vision in both eyes.
I remember saying to my friend, “This is not normal, this is not normal.” I stupidly self-diagnosed myself as having sunstroke and decided against seeking medical treatment.
Before I had a stroke I thought like many people that a stroke could only happen if you were old. I was 28 years old and expecting my first baby. I was working as a lecturer in mathematics and graduated with my PhD just two weeks before the birth of Lachlan. There is no way we could have predicted what was about to happen.
Tasmanian woman remembers experiencing signs of stroke for a month leading up to her stroke
Fiona was just 24 years old, married and working as a nurse when she had a stroke. Fiona remembers some early signs of stroke in the month before it hit her, “I had a pretty severe headache and blurred vision. I was pregnant at the time and told not to worry about it. If only I knew then what I know now.”
It took Fiona nearly 13 years to recover from her stroke. It was a long recovery to learn to walk and talk again. Fiona still doesn’t have the use of her right arm which remains paralysed.
Kate was just 20 years old when she experienced a stroke and is proof that a stroke can happen at any age. Kate was watching TV with her boyfriend and can look back now and recognise some of the early signs of stroke. Kate remembers experiencing an intense headache, weakness and numbness on her left side, uncontrollable vomiting and loss of muscle control. “I remember watching TV and then I woke up in ICU”, young Kate remembers. Kate’s recovery continues and she spent her 21st birthday in rehabilitation. However Kate has a renewed passion for study with an interest in Neuropsychology. Kate also feels very thankful that she was able to make such a good recovery.
