A day where Nicole Richards described herself as feeling in “top shape”, quickly turned into a race against the clock to save her life.
It was an ordinary day; Nicole was home making toast when suddenly she felt her arm “drop”. Though she didn’t remember all the signs, she did remember that this was an indicator of stroke and instantly called 9-1-1.
When she arrived at the hospital the Cardiologist found a large blood clot and was amazed that she had made it to the hospital. After conversations with several doctors, they all concluded there was nothing that could be done about the clot. Nicole spent five days in the Intensive Care Unit. The stroke left her paralyzed from elbow to hand on one side of her body, she considered herself lucky that the paralysis didn’t travel further throughout her body.
The aftermath of the stroke lingered, as the left side of her mouth still felt paralyzed. Just as she was starting to acclimatize to life back home, the paralysis presented itself a week later, except this time, on the other side of her body. Nicole immediately went back to the hospital, where she stayed for the next five weeks.
Starring at the same paper-thin hospital curtains soon grew to be boring for Nicole and other patients she shared a room with. So, she and another stroke patient passed the time in between occupational and physical therapy sessions by playing cards everyday.
Nicole and hospital staff worked on small exercises daily to ensure that she could do day-to-day tasks. The toughest part of her rehabilitation was learning to walk again, but the hospital staff were extremely supportive and made sure she was confident in her abilities before going home.
After being discharged from the hospital for the second time, they gave her a walker. When the walker was no longer needed, a cane became useful, and eventually it was not needed either. “That makes me happy,” she said.
Nicole was hesitant to go home as she lives alone “When something like this happens, you become anxious and don’t understand,” she said. Luckily, her siblings and neighbor were more than supportive when it came to helping with transitioning to life back home.
In hopes to prevent future stroke, Nicole made several lifestyle changes. Such as being more conscious about her diet, and cutting out majority of meat, and sugar. Well, except for Christmas she had to indulge in a sweet treat or two.
Before Nicole’s stroke she couldn’t remember all the signs. Now, her and family are aware of how knowing the signs could save a life.
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