A Granddaughter Recounts the Stroke Her 'Papa' Had

My papa had a stroke when I was just a little girl. When I asked him about it, he said he was having some double vision for a few days and thought he was drinking too much coffee. 

He was going to go to the doctor, but he put it off.  That Monday at work, he felt very wobbly and couldn't hold paper.  He was having a stroke.

I am glad he is OK but wish he would have called the doctor sooner.

When I had , I had the same symptoms, and my parents called the doctor right away.  A blood hemorrhage in my brain stem caused my  stroke and paralysis.  I am still glad my mom and dad got me to the hospital right away; it could have been worse.

Also, did you know that May is Stroke and High Blood Pressure Awareness Month? Here are some of the warning signs of a stroke, according to the American Stroke Association website:

•  Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg,  especially on one side.
•   Sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding.
•  Trouble seeing in one or both eyes.
•  Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, or loss of balance or coordination.
•  Sudden severe headache with no known cause.

If you have one or more of these symptoms, call 911 immediately.

Also, check the time so you know when the first symptoms appeared.  There are drugs that if given within three hours of the start of a stroke can reduce the damage caused by the stroke.

For really good information about stroke and high blood pressure,  go to strokeassociation.org.  That is where I got the information for my article. It was really easy to find.

Please pass this information to the people you love. It might save their lives.

Gracie