Healthwatch: Stroke Awareness Month
JACKSON, Tenn. — A West Tennessee stroke patient wasn’t expected to survive, but is alive and well thanks to quick action. Tina Bassette recalls the morning her husband, Arthur, was having a stroke. “Everything happened so quickly,” Bessette said. Getting to a hospital quickly is key, and identifying symptoms can mean the difference between life and death. When Arthur was rushed to the hospital, the news wasn’t good from the doctor. “He said ‘Mrs. Bessette, I don’t have much hope of your husband leaving this room’.” Tina said fortunately, everything turned out to be OK. Health professionals urge people to look for the signs of potential stroke which include facial droop, arm and hand weakness and speech problems. “The thing about a stroke is that a stroke doesn’t hurt,” John Crocker, an Interventional radiologist said. “It’s not painful, so people often ignore symptoms before they seek care and that’s a problem.” If you feel you at high risk of being a stroke victim or have experienced common stroke symptoms, you’re encouraged to contact your doctor and get an evaluation.
