By: Kendall Zuniga

   During the month of May, we raise awareness for those who have suffered from the effects of having a stroke as well as how their families have suffered. What is a stroke? A stroke is an attack on the brain when the blood supply to part of the brain is cut off and causes death to the living cells. Effects can vary depending on where the attack occurred in the victim’s brain, they may be permanent or can be easily recovered over time, death can also be a result in having a stroke.

   How do I know if myself or a loved one is having a stroke? Signs you can look for are: numbness or weakness in the face, arm, leg, or on one side of the body, sudden confusion, trouble speaking, or difficulty understanding speech, trouble seeing in one or both of the eyes, trouble walking, dizziness or loss of balance and lack of coordination, and a severe headache with no known cause.

You would never think that something like this could ever happen to you or someone you love but it’s possible for it to happen to anyone. I’ve personally have had to deal with the occurrence of my own father having three mini strokes within a span of about 3 months. We were told if he were to have a 4th stroke that causes him to collapse and hit his head, he could die. 

   I remember the night my dad’s first stroke had occurred, he said that he had felt kind of numbness on the left side of his body, had been feeling nauseous, and dizzy. I told him that what he was describing were symptoms of a stroke but he insisted that he was okay and could probably just sleep it off. The next day I found out that my mom had taken my dad to the hospital in the middle of the night because he wasn’t getting any better. C.A.T scans showed signs of cell damage in an area of his brain, that was the first of my dad’s three strokes. By the second stroke, my dad had been left visually impaired and had to re-learn how to do most things others can easily. 

   Never would I have thought that something like this could happen to someone I love and care about but, that shows that the unthinkable can happen to anyone. Use my experience as a way to inform others about the dangers and effects strokes can have on an individual and their families. We can’t predict the future but we can alter the present, here are some ways you can lessen the probability of a stroke happening to you: choose healthy food and drink options, maintain a acceptable weight, get exercise regularly, limit alcohol consumption, do not smoke, and maintaining a good lifestyle can all help prevent a stroke from happening to you or a loved one.

Ways you can help:

American Stroke Association

https://www.stroke.org/

American Stroke Foundation

https://americanstroke.org/