May 2016 * Survived to Thrive by Momma Berna

How it Began

I once had a blog where I intended to talk about running, races, and training for runs and races. Life got busy and the blog fell by the wayside. Then life threw my family and me for a loop.

It was Tuesday, October 28, 2014. Game 6 of the Giants vs. Royals World Series. I had been asleep all day, having had a shot of morphine at the emergency room the night before. I had the worse headache of my life Monday night, I was screaming in pain so my husband, Armando drove me to the emergency room. They did not determine anything to be wrong, so they gave me a dose of morphine (perhaps to shut me up as I was screaming!!!) and sent me home. The next day, I called in sick for work and slept. When I woke up at around 4:00 P.M. feeling guilty because I had slept all day, I went downstairs with faint ache still lingering in my head which I attributed to the meds wearing off, I made dinner.

*I guess this time, my tutu did not bring me any luck at all.*

After dinner, wearing my lucky orange tutu I cheered for my Giants. A win would clinch another World Series title. My headache was getting progressively worse, it did not help that the Royals tied the series ( SF Giants you owe me a few million brain cells). I remember everything being hazy that night. I went upstairs to get ready for bed my head pounding now, I was also very nauseous. I said goodnight and I love you to Scotty, after tucking him in he asked me too lay down next to him for a bit. He looked very sad when I told him I can’t. I just wanted to go to bed because my head was really hurting. I threw up in the bathroom, felt a “pop” in my head and staggered out. Vincent kept asking me what was wrong, I was telling him my head was hurting really bad, he kept saying “I can’t understand what you’re saying”. He was saying “something is wrong”. He called 911. I tried opening my eyes and saw paramedics, I kept hearing “stroke”. My memories from that night are definitely vague. I remember crying and saying goodbye to Scotty and Vincent. I remember being wheeled out of the house and seeing the flashing red lights. Then everything went blank.

This was the beginning of what would be the longest race I will ever tackle. Please join me on this journey. I would love and appreciate your support.

Stroke Awareness Month Part Two

I had already mentioned that May is Stroke Awareness Month. Here in the Silicon Valley, the Stroke Awareness Foundation has played a major role in raising community awareness and education about stroke. Each year, they hold their biggest fundraiser: The annual Stroke Walk. The 5k walk happens at the beautiful San Jose Rose Gardens which in the month of May is in full bloom. This year, I decided to not only participate in the walk, but also participate in the fundraiser. I posted my link on Facebook and Instagram and surprisingly enough donations started coming in. My heart was filled with gratitude. The messages that accompanied the donations were even more heartfelt. People telling me how I have inspired them, how they see me as a strong, determined individual. I was also amazed by the people who signed up to join me on the walk. Sunday May 15th turned out to be a gorgeous day. My family where with me, my friends were there and hundreds of people who are there to support a great cause.

For more information about the Stroke Awareness Foundation visit their website:Stroke Awareness Foundation

Stroke Awareness Month

May is National Stroke Awareness Month. Why is this important? Stroke is the number 5 cause of death in and it is the leading cause of disability in the United States (source: American Stroke Association). I have been told many, many times that I am too young to have had a stroke. I asked my neurologist about this and she told me, “anyone with a brain can have a stroke.”

However, stroke and the long term damages of stroke can be preventable. If you suspect that someone is having a stroke, just remember the acronym F.A.S.T:

strokeawareness2

In stroke time lost is brain lost. These however important are also just guidelines. not everyone will experience symptoms the same way. Another important symptom is a thunderclap headache. This was what I had experienced. I’ve had migraines for most of my life, but this headache was much worse than that. It felt like I had someone was using a jackhammer behind my eyes.

There are many ways to prevent stroke weight management and smoking cessation are on top of the list. The American Heart Association provides a comprehensive list of risk factors related to stroke.

If you think that you or someone you love is experiencing a stroke, Make sure to let the paramedics know. This way they can get to the nearest stroke comprehensive hospital in your area. They can also inform the hospital that they have a stroke patient arriving and be prepared with the medication and equipment needed to help the patient.

Ready, Set…

I decided to start blogging my journey to recovery because navigating this road is tough. I want to be accountable, I want to learn from others and maybe, just maybe I will also be able to inspire.

I have learned so much this past 18 months. I have learned that I have to be my own advocate when it comes to getting the care that I need. There are people in this world who are truly kind and caring. I have learned that I have amazing friends, and most importantly my family is strong and we are able to survive a life changing tragedy.

“Pardon the dust, this site is still under construction”, please bear with me as I fumble along the first few posts. I promise to deliver good stories even as I work on making this site more attractive.