Stroke victims need to act FAST
MONONGAHELA – Three months ago, 52-year old Deb Tiernan of Grindstone felt her legs tingling and discovered she could not move her hand to pick up anything. She immediately told her husband she thought she was having a stroke and needed to get to the hospital.
Thanks to her quick reaction, EMS responders alerted Monongahela Valley Hospital’s emergency department staff, who greeted her at the door and rushed her for a CT scan. They then connected her with a stroke telemedicine doctor, who examined her via a two-way screen, and medical staff started her on medication.
May is National Stroke Awareness Month, and every minute counts with a possible brain attack called a stroke. The sooner a patient receives medical treatment, the lower risk for disability or death from the blocked or ruptured vessel in the brain. MVH has been designated a Primary Stroke Center by the Joint Commission.
The hospital also received the American Heart Association and the American Stroke Association’s Get with the Guidelines Stroke Silver Plus Quality Achievement Award, which recognizes MVH’s commitment and success in implementing a higher standard of stroke care by ensuring that patients receive treatment according to nationally accepted standards and recommendations.
Now 12 weeks later, Tiernan, who is a hairdresser, is eager to reconnect with her clients at the Hopwood hair salon where she works. She said her 20-year-old daughter, her husband and her mother have all been very supportive during her recovery.
She still receives occupational therapy sessions in her home to strengthen her muscles to regain dexterity and the complete use of her hands.
“When I think of where I was three months ago and where I am now, it’s a big difference and I get very emotional,” she said. Her physician, Dr. Dennis Mateya, told her that “in a few more months, I should be as good as new.”
Tiernen said her care continues at MVH after doctors discovered and began treating and monitoring a rare hereditary blood disorder that affects the plaque buildup in her veins that will make her susceptible to strokes for the rest of her life.
Strokes can affect people of all ages. In fact, nearly a quarter of all strokes occur in people younger than age 65. According to the National Stroke Association, every 40 seconds someone has a stroke in the United States. Forty percent of all stroke deaths occur in males, and 60 percent in females.
Hence, early identification of a stroke can lead to the best possible treatment. Two million brain cells die every minute during a stroke, increasing risk of permanent brain damage, disability or death. That’s 3.6 years the brain ages for every hour of an acute stroke.
It’s important to know the warning signs and symptoms of a stroke. Remember to act FAST:
• F is for face – Does one side of the face droop or is it numb? Ask the person to smile; is it uneven?
• A is for arm – Is one arm weak or numb? Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward?
• S is for speech – Is speech slurred? Is the person unable to speak or hard to understand?
• T is for time – If the person shows any of these symptoms, call 911 or get them to the hospital immediately.
Other symptoms can include sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes; sudden trouble walking; dizziness, loss of balance or coordination; sudden severe headache with no known cause; or sudden numbness or weakness in the leg, arm or face.