Stroke Symptoms
I learned this early in life when my grandfather, who lived next door to us since before I was born, had a stroke when I was a child. Suddenly, everything in our lives changed. My mother was a nurse, and it was important to her (and to all of us) that her parents live next door, so she could watch over them. And a good thing. But despite their close proximity and sharing daily life with us, we did not see the symptoms of Grandpa's stroke. The stroke event catapulted me into a new experience of life…one in which a vital, energetic loved one became an invalid over night. We had no warning. We thought. My grandmother needed help too. Since my grandparents lived next door, I became a part-time caregiver as a child –- to help cook, do small chores, garden, entertain, run little errands, help grandma get into the car with us to go to church, often hold her hand at church, “set” her hair weekly, sometimes give a manicure. And I picked my mother’s brain about all things medical, especially about strokes and stroke symptoms (why didn't we know it was going to happen). About getting old. And about being a caregiver. When I was a teenager, my grandfather had another serious stroke and died. That was a sobering experience for us, and I always wondered about it running in the family -- both grandparents did have high blood pressure. My story is not unusual. Rather, is it quite common, and you also probably know someone who has had a stroke. 
Nowadays we of course know much more about stroke symptoms and what to do. Basically, when the brain is not getting sufficient blood it will have a stroke, and brain cells die. A stroke can occur if there is a blood clot somewhere in the body that then blocks a vessel or artery that feeds the brain. Arteries in the brain itself can also bleed. All this will manifest itself in different ways with different levels of severity (see list of common symptoms below).We now know much more about what symptoms point to a stroke event. If you detect any of these, (especially if more than one) in yourself or a loved one, see a doctor. (Note: most strokes happen to those over age 40 – not just the elderly). Stroke Symptoms:
Small strokes can go almost undetected, and can happen in series. We suspect this is what happened to my grandfather at first. Then he had another stroke that left him clearly disabled. But if the stroke is severe, the brain damage can be so severe it may cause what is known as vascular dementia After my grandfather’s disabling stroke, his memory was indeed impaired. 
One of the telltale stroke symptoms is changes in speech. Grandpa’s speech had become a little slurred before, and definitely more slurred and much slower afterwards. His hearing was also further impaired. And he could not keep his balance, having become partially paralyzed in his legs. His blood pressure had been high and still was. So he spent most of his time sitting down, especially in his wheel chair. He had enough mobility to transfer himself from place to place. In those days back in the 1960’s, speech therapy for the elderly and physical therapy after a stroke were limited, if given at all. Now such therapy can help restore some or most function, depending on the seriousness of the stroke. Part of the subtlety of stroke symptoms is that they can look like something else is wrong. Take a headache. Who doesn’t have serious headaches sometimes? Or feeling dizzy and even tripping? And it’s not unheard of to have one’s arm or leg feel a little numb or strange if you’ve been doing an activity that might have caused strain or stress. You very well may feel better a little while later …but if a stroke occurred, it needs to be checked out immediately. If you suspect a stroke occurred, the sooner it is treated, the better – so call 911 right away. And if several of these symptoms show up, pay attention and have it checked. This is particularly important if you have high blood pressure, diabetes, if you’re overweight, do not exercise, or if you smoke. If your family has a history of stroke, especially if you know why, be sure to talk about this with your doctor and find out what you can do to best lower your or your loved one’s own risk. National High Blood Pressure Education Programc/o National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Information CenterPhone: 301-592-8573 -- Excerpts courtesy of the FDA Office of Women's Health Be sure to also read these... Do you know the
signs of elderly problems?
Read this to learn how to detect many elderly issues that may need immediate attention. Return from Stroke Symptoms, copyright 2009-2011, OneSong, LLC
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