Age Doesn't Matter
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
By: Brittany Davis

Survivor

Never in a million years did I think I would suffer a stroke at the age of 20, but I did.

I was a 5'6, 130 pounds and a 20-year-old college student when I was suffered a stroke. Although I was diagnosed with hereditary high blood pressure at the age of 18, I always considered myself to be the average healthy young person.

Then one Friday evening while at work, the left side of my body went numb. It had happened to me a few weeks before but went away after a few minutes so I thought the same thing would happen. It didn't. Not recognizing the signs of a stroke, I went home and went to bed hoping that when I woke in the morning the numbness would be gone. The next morning it was still there, so I went to the emergency where they did a CT scan, but the stroke did was not viewable and they sent me home. Monday, I went to my primary care physician who thought I was maybe experiencing vitamin deficiency. After blood work showed I wasn't, he ordered a MRI thinking I may have MS. That's how I found out I had suffered a stroke. To this day, my doctors aren't exactly sure what caused my stroke to happen because, although I have high blood pressure, it was under control with medication. I am blessed because my stroke wasn't too severe and I recovered quickly. I only still experience a odd tingling feeling on the left side of my body. When people find out I had a stroke they often say, "but you're so young" as if that matters. I hope that my story can serve as a eye opener for young people who don't think a stroke can happen to them. I'm a living witness that it can.