I was 37 when I had a brain stem stroke that affected my left side (08/05/2007). I was just sitting on the couch watching TV after a long day of "mom chores" (grocery shopping, cleaning the frig, laundry). I got up to get something and my left side was extremely weak and uncoordinated. I chalked it up to maybe getting the flu or from fighting the cart at Wal-Mart that drifted to one side. Did not sleep well that night because of the "weird" feeling in my left side. Got up the next day (did not have the flu) and my left side was still not cooperating. At the time, I was working from home and tried typing - it was all I could do to get my left hand fingers to try to type. Then I called the girl I worked with and told her what was going on. She didn't think it sounded good. I still gave it until noon that day and then called the doctor. He sent me straight to the ER. I still didn't think it was anything serious. Why would I think I had a stroke at 37 years old? I drove myself to the ER, but I did call my husband at work to tell him to meet me there just in case. They admitted me and did a whole bunch of tests, found the stroke, but had no idea what caused it. I'm not not a smoker, not a drinker, don't do drugs, no birth control for 6 years, no high blood pressure, and no family history. I had all kinds of tests done for physical things that could have caused it - nothing.
So, I did some PT and got most everything I lost back. I still have some deficits in my left leg and foot, but nothing anyone else but me notices. I suffer from frequent bouts of vertigo now and my balance in the dark is always bad even when I don't have vertigo going on. I have some memory issues, but thank goodness for post-it notes!
I am now 38 years old and very glad that things have went so well for me. It's nice to know that I am not alone.
I was 37 when I had a brain stem stroke that affected my left side (08/05/2007). I was just sitting on the couch watching TV after a long day of "mom chores" (grocery shopping, cleaning the frig, laundry). I got up to get something and my left side was extremely weak and uncoordinated. I chalked it up to maybe getting the flu or from fighting the cart at Wal-Mart that drifted to one side. Did not sleep well that night because of the "weird" feeling in my left side. Got up the next day (did not have the flu) and my left side was still not cooperating. At the time, I was working from home and tried typing - it was all I could do to get my left hand fingers to try to type. Then I called the girl I worked with and told her what was going on. She didn't think it sounded good. I still gave it until noon that day and then called the doctor. He sent me straight to the ER. I still didn't think it was anything serious. Why would I think I had a stroke at 37 years old? I drove myself to the ER, but I did call my husband at work to tell him to meet me there just in case. They admitted me and did a whole bunch of tests, found the stroke, but had no idea what caused it. I'm not not a smoker, not a drinker, don't do drugs, no birth control for 6 years, no high blood pressure, and no family history. I had all kinds of tests done for physical things that could have caused it - nothing. So, I did some PT and got most everything I lost back. I still have some deficits in my left leg and foot, but nothing anyone else but me notices. I suffer from frequent bouts of vertigo now and my balance in the dark is always bad even when I don't have vertigo going on. I have some memory issues, but thank goodness for post-it notes! I am now 38 years old and very glad that things have went so well for me. It's nice to know that I am not alone.