I'm living proof.....

Little did I know that sitting at my desk in work a few years I would become a victim of the #3 killer of Americans and a leading disabler.  STROKE!  I did not suffer a full-blown stroke, but instead a Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA).  A TIA is an episode in which a person has stroke-like symptoms for less than 24 hours, usually less than 1-2 hours.  TIA's are considered warning signs that a true stroke may happen in the future if something is not done to prevent it.  Not only did I have one TIA, but TWO!  Today, I am left with numbness on my left face and my left toes.  The trigger for me was my lupus!

Many people are at a particularly high risk for stroke: African Americans, women, Hispanics, adults age 55 and older, survivors of strokes and heart attacks, as well as those with high blood pressure and smokers.

I did not know the symptoms, I was not educated, and I had no clue what was happening to me.  It wasn't until I got to the hospital that I became aware of what the symptoms I had experienced were about.

Please!  It's very important for everyone to know the symptoms:

Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg, especially on one side of the body.

Sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding.

Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes.

Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination.

Sudden severe headache with no known cause.

If you EVER experience any of these symptoms, call 911 immediately or have someone take you to the hospital ASAP.