My reason for preventing
stroke by Nenad Nikolić - I am 35 years old and have seen people younger than me who have had stroke - we all need to take all stroke risk seriously!
My name is Nenad Nikolić. I want to share my personal reason for
preventing stroke.
My mom suffered a sudden stroke in 2008,
when she was age 49. I remember it was Friday 6th June, we were watching TV,
when she suddenly lay down in bed, and couldn't get up, and started to talk
some unrecognisable words. We tried to put her in a seated position , but she
couldn’t do it.
Luckily i work in hospital in a Neurology department in my town, so I recognised
stroke symptoms quickly and reacted immediately.
We were quickly in hospital, she got
therapy, and doctors told me that AF caused stroke. They took blood for INR and
it was very low. I knew she had AF few months before stroke, she got oral
anticoagulant therapy (varfarine), but she didn't take it seriously, and she
didn't check INR, and I didn't pay much attention because I wasn't aware of
that. She had mitral valve stenosis before, and stroke exacerbated it, and
after all she has been sent to Belgrade Surgery Clinic to mitral valve surgery,
and after Spa rehabilitation, she has recovered. She is retired now, and has discrete
paresis, but she can do everyday living activities, take a walk, and enjoy life
as before. A lot of family support and care is assumed.
I know it sounds strange, but even when
you work in hospital, you can sometimes neglect some risk factors. The everyday
tempo of living is so fast. We are all busy and in some rush, and we can be
easily distracted with this so we don't pay much attention to some risk factors.
Those risk factors can make a lot of trouble…
After all this, my mom's life has changed.
Mine too. We both understood how life can change in a second. How quickly from
healthy state you can be paralysed. My mom understands now that she needs to
take oral anticoagulant therapy seriously, and I understand that I need do
check it. We both pay more attention and check her INR at least once a month. I
made her a table to track her treatments, where I write dose and INR. The table
covers 4 months, with INR values and doses. I'm happy to share it with anyone
who would like to use it.
Prevention is the key thing. My mom now takes all risk factors for stroke seriously. She has lost weight, she walks with my
dad more than before, so her physical activity has increased, and she is
enjoying her time with her granddaughter (my daughter).
I want to say people to take ALL risk
factors SERIOUSLY! Unfortunately my mom had stroke. Guess what? Anyone's mom
can have stroke - in fact ANYONE can have stroke if he/she doesn't take risk
factors seriously. I am 35 years old, I work in Neurology department, and I
have seen people younger than me who have had a stroke! Stroke doesn't care how
old are you, if you don't care for yourself ! It is up to all of us to raise awaerness, to
do as much as we can to prevent stroke.
I realised how stroke can happen to anyone
and to those nearest us. I am proud to be part of any campaign against stroke.
I am also proud to be part of the Serbian Stroke Association, and Stroke
Alliance for Europe. I am proud because I am part of team who CAN CHANGE something,
who are raising awareness !
