Jenna Gibson was just 39 when she was training for a marathon five years ago, but her plan was Sudden amputation due to stroke It nearly took her life.
According to a recent study from the Mayo Clinic, approximately 60% of stroke deaths occur in women, and now Dr. Gibson Mother of two, Michiganaims to help others become more health conscious and make their health a priority.
“When I learned that strokes happen to young people too, I felt compelled to share my story,” she told Fox News Digital.
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“In most cases, strokes are preventable if you know what to look out for.”
The day Gibson had her stroke, she was feeling fine.
Jenna Gibson was just 39 when she was training for a marathon five years ago, but her plans were put on hold when she suffered a stroke that nearly took her life. (Jenna Gibson)
It was a beautiful day, she had just delivered a successful presentation at work, and was enjoying a walk outside with her mother after dinner.
“I was telling him how I was training for the Detroit Marathon on my 40th birthday, and all of a sudden, it hit me like I’d been hit by a ton of bricks,” she told Fox News Digital.
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Gibson stopped walking and suddenly collapsed in the grass.
At first, her mother thought she was joking: “She actually took a picture of me lying on the grass and said, ‘Now, get up, what are you doing?'”
“Doctors discovered I had a blockage on the left side of my brain and was having a stroke.”
Her mother helped her to her feet, but Gibson was unable to walk straight.
“I felt like I was drunk. Something was wrong,” she said.
Yet Gibson experienced none of the classic symptoms of a stroke, such as facial drooping, severe headaches or vision problems.
When Gibson first collapsed on the grass, his mother thought it was a joke and took this photo. As it turned out, Gibson was in the early stages of a stroke. (Jenna Gibson)
They went home and Gibson guessed she was there. Have a migraineShe took some headache medicine and went to bed.
“I woke up a few hours later and still felt sick and couldn’t get out of bed or move,” she recalled.
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That’s when they headed to the emergency room, where Gibson’s mother told the medical team that her daughter was having trouble walking and might be having a stroke.
“The doctors examined me and did all the tests, but I didn’t have the classic signs that they look for,” Gibson said. “Part of that is because I was young.”
“He could walk, but not very well. He could speak a few words.”
She added: “There was no facial sagging. He could walk but not very well. He could speak a few words.”
A CT scan determined that Gibson was likely suffering from an optic nerve migraine, and when she still felt unwell the next morning, her neurologist ordered another scan using contrast, which finally revealed she had had a stroke.
Gibson is pictured with her husband and two daughters, who were eight and four years old at the time of her stroke in 2019. (Jenna Gibson)
“Doctors found out I had a blockage on the left side of my brain and was having a stroke,” she said.
Gibson was quickly airlifted to another hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Emergency brain surgery This is to remove the blood clot.
“There was clearly a risk of death and if we didn’t act fast enough, the deadline would be missed,” she said.
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Gibson said she was convinced she was going to die when she was flown to the hospital and would never see her husband or her daughters, who were 8 and 4 at the time, again.
“I thought I would never see my children grow up and get married, or that I would live in a vegetative state and never be able to work again.”
Gibson is pictured with her two daughters in hospital after her stroke, and her first “mission” was to tell them she loved them and that “Mommy’s OK.” (Jenna Gibson)
“I was thinking, ‘Did I tell my daughters enough that I love them? Does my husband know how proud I am of him?'”
The next thing she knew, Gibson was waking up from surgery in intensive care, facing a long road to recovery.
“At first, I couldn’t speak at all. I couldn’t move my right side. I was locked inside my head. I could see what was going on and hear people asking me questions, but I couldn’t answer.”
‘By the Grace of God’
Over the next few days, Gibson’s faculties gradually began to return.
She received speech and occupational therapy. Physical therapy Over time, I started to regain movement on my right side.
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Her first “task” was to tell her daughters that she loved them and that “Mommy is OK.”
After a few weeks, Gibson returned home and continued outpatient treatment three hours a day, three days a week, for four months.
“The first six weeks was when I saw the most rapid improvement, and then it got slower and slower,” she said.
“I had to relearn everything again, and now, by the grace of God, I can do it all.”
“I was thinking, ‘Have I told my daughters many times that they love them? Does my husband know how proud I am of him?'” Gibson said of her stroke, pictured here with her husband and two daughters. (Jenna Gibson)
Gibson now has a completely paralyzed right side of her body, and she said she sometimes struggles to find the right words to speak, especially when she’s tired or stressed.
“But if you look at me, I seem like a normal person,” she said.
Gibson was finally able to complete the half marathon last October.
“Every second counts”
Dr Annie Tse, head of neurology at Access Telecare, Based in Texashighlighted the prevalence of stroke among women and promoted awareness.
“Strokes can occur for a variety of reasons and can affect any age group and gender,” Tsui, who was not involved in Gibson’s treatment, told Fox News Digital. “Strokes can occur at any age, but women between the ages of 20 and 39 are twice as likely as men to suffer from it.”
The main risk factors for stroke are High blood pressureTsui noted that the causes of stroke in younger people are different from those typically associated with older people, such as high cholesterol, heart disease, obesity and diabetes.
After being diagnosed with a stroke, Gibson was flown by helicopter to another hospital for emergency brain surgery. (Jenna Gibson)
These may include heart problems, blood clotting disorders, genetic predisposition, vascular abnormalities, and trauma.
“While no one is completely immune to stroke, those at high risk should work with their doctor to develop a prevention plan,” Tsui advises. Healthy Lifestyle This is extremely important as it could prevent up to 80% of strokes.”
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Tsui said it was important to recognise the symptoms in order to receive treatment as early as possible.
She recommends using the FAST acronym below as a useful tool to identify signs of stroke.
- Face (sagging or numb)
- Arms (weakness or numbness)
- Speech (slurred or difficult to speak)
- T is time to call 911
Gibson underwent four months of intensive physical and occupational therapy during his recovery. (Jenna Gibson)
“If patients receive treatment promptly, they have the best chance of survival and a good outcome. Medical considerations” Tsi told Fox News Digital.
She warned that some stroke treatments are only effective if given within three hours of symptoms starting, and every hour that passes increases the risk of permanent brain damage and death.
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Watch out for the symptoms of stroke, Medical assistance We will act immediately at the first sign,” Tsi said.
“Every second counts in reducing the risk of brain injury, permanent disability or even death.”
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