When I woke up at 2 o’clock in the morning, I remember feeling quite dizzy as I stood to my feet. I reached for the bedroom doorknob and realized I couldn’t open the door. “What is wrong with me,” I asked myself. Panic overcame me as I tried to open the door. I began to cry because it was then that I realized what was wrong.

I finally got out of the bedroom and began to make my way down the hallway in my house. I couldn’t walk well at all. I found myself bouncing from wall to wall until I finally made my way to the couch. As I fell over onto the couch, I startled my husband who had come home to eat during his night shift break.

He could see something was wrong with me. I tried to talk but the words would not come out. I mouthed STROKE. Immediately my husband jumped up and called 911.

In minutes, EMS had me on a stretcher racing to the hospital. After a quick examination in the emergency room, I was on my way to radiology for a CT scan. They wanted to see if I had a brain hemorrhage - which came back negative.

The tending medical staff asked when the symptoms started. Because I had been asleep I was unsure of when the symptoms actually began. This information is crucial because when stroke (brain attack) symptoms are noticed within three hours of arriving at the emergency room, one might be able to receive “clot busters.” Health care workers know this as T.P.A. If T.P.A. is given within three hours of onset symptoms it can decrease the severity of deficits of a stroke. My symptoms included: dizziness, trouble speaking, trouble walking, weakness in my legs and arms, my mouth drooped terribly, my smile was crooked and I was drooling because I  had trouble swallowing my own saliva. I had all the classic symptoms of a stroke.

Stroke is the leading cause of serious long-term disability and the third largest killer in the U.S. There are nearly 3,000 stroke cases that come through the doors at Phoebe each year. Many stroke survivors are left with mental and physical disabilities that take months even years to recover from - only 10 percent of stroke victims recover completely.

Risk factors for stroke include: high blood pressure, smoking, diabetes, heart disease, high cholesterol, obesity, sedentary lifestyle and age.

In my own personal story, I spent several days in the hospital. I was then discharged home with outpatient physical therapy. At that time, I still had great difficulty speaking and I became very annoyed when people asked me questions and I could not say what I wanted to say. I didn’t want to talk. My voice sounded awful and I was embarrassed. I sat around and cried and I became depressed.

I though to myself, “My life is over as a bedside nurse. I can’t start an I.V. I can’t do CPR. If I can’t get myself off the commode, I certainly won’t be able to help a patient up. I’m only 46 years old with two teenagers at home. I just bought a house a couple of months ago. Will I ever be able to go back to work?  Will my husband be ashamed of me? Will I embarrass my kids? How will I pay my bills? How will I get back and forth to therapy?” I was drowning in self pity and I felt inadequate.

After my therapy sessions began, I started to see dramatic improvements! Did you know that most gains in a person’s ability to function in the first 30 days are due to spontaneous recovery? Rehabilitation is still a very important aspect of recovery - much of the success rate depends on how early rehabilitation starts, extent of the brain injury, survivor’s attitude, skill of the rehabilitation team and cooperation of family and friends.

For a stroke survivor, the rehabilitation goal is to be as independent and productive as possible, that’s what kept me going. I was too young; I was not ready to give up. I give all the glory to God almighty for pulling me through; my family, friends, boss, co-workers and my therapists all played a role in my successful recovery.

After months of therapy, I was able to return to work. Though not back to the bedside, I moved into management. Now a manager in Rehab, I am able to share my testimony with stroke patients in the unit. I have been given a second chance and I am so grateful!  It is my goal in life to help teach others the risk factors to help prevent a stroke.

There is so much information available, but the most important piece of information is to stay proactive to keep your body healthy to avoid the risk factors of stroke. Do you know your numbers? What is your blood pressure, cholesterol, body mass index? These things are all areas to keep in check to avoid a stroke.

Oh by the way! I now classify myself as part of the 10 percent with almost complete recovery! Sharon Scott, Nurse Manager 4C Rehab.