This presentation is presented by Dipika Aggarwal, MD, Neurologist at University of Kansas Medical Center. In 2018 and 37 years old Dipika was diagnosed with stage four colorectal cancer. After treatments, by 2019 the cancer taken care of. She was back to work.
Shortly after, she suffered from a stroke – a Hemorrhagic stroke because of an unknown aneurysm rupture. Completely weak on the right side she had aphasia which effects speech. She has been doing constant therapies and is able to talk and work again in the neurology clinic.
She has been through the items she is presenting here. This post from the American Stroke Foundation lays out the key points to the video, but we encourage you to watch as well.
How the stroke survivor can rebuild his or her life.
- Life after stroke
- Recovery & Rehabilitation
- Role of caregiver, family or friends
- There is life – and hope – after stroke.
What is a stroke?
- It’s an event which is caused by the blood vessels (mainly the arteries) in the brain.
- It is common. Approx 800K cases per year.
- If blood vessels are clogged or blocked.
- Tissues of the brain can’t get oxygen and nutrients and the nerve cells (neurons) can’t function.
Types of Stroke
Ischemic Stroke – 87%
- Dry Stroke – occurs because of blocked blood vessels. Lodged blood clot.
Hemorrahagic stroke –
- Small blood vessel ruptures – brain tissue is not getting nutrients.
- Sometimes the blood vessel forms a balloon called an anurism where the blood vessels become thin.
Transient ischemic attack (“mini-stroke” or warning stroke)
- Most important category
short lasting – few minutes or an hour sometimes 24 hours - no permanent damage – but a warning sign – don’t ignore it
- Call 911
How do you spot a stroke?
FAST
- Face Drooping
- Arm Weakness
- Speech Difficutly
- Time to call 911
Every 40 seconds – someone has a stroke in US
- Time is Brain
- Sooner it is treated the better the outcome
How Stroke Affects people
- Weakness or paralysis on one side of the body
- Numbness or abnormal sensations on one side of the body
- Balance or coordination problems
- Speech difficult – slurred speech or aphasia (difficulty in understanding or producing the speech)
- Bodily neglect – patient neglects the side affected by the stroke – for example they might not eat on the plate the side where the stroke affected
- Attention deficit / cognitive problems
- Trouble swallowing
Other:
- Fatigue
- Bowel and bladder problems
- Sexual problems
- Personality Changes
- Depression
Recovery Process
- Treatement – admitted to the hospital
- Spontaneous recovery
- Rehabilitation!!
- Return to community living
- Preventing another stroke
Rehabilitation
- Treatement – admitted to the hospital
- Spontaneous recovery
- Rehabilitation!!
- Return to community living
- Preventing another stroke