Summer 2011
CHAMPION OF HOPE
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No Sabbatical for Stroke
A Young Stroke Survivor Finishes Her Doctorate
By Lindsey Hagerty, National Stroke Association intern
At 31 years old, stroke was the
furthest thing from my mind,” said Erin
Russell, a stroke survivor who graduated this spring with her doctorate in
public affairs, just two years after an ischemic stroke. The healthy and active
young woman had completed four marathons and had no known family history of
stroke.
Russell’s stroke symptoms first began a month
prior to her stroke when she noticed an increase in blood pressure. She then
suffered from severe headaches, neck pain and nausea, which peaked on her drive
to work in Sept., 2009. According to Russell, not long after her peak in
symptoms, “the world started spinning.”
She was immediately rushed to the hospital where they did not
immediately recognize that she was having a stroke. They tested her for various
other ailments, including swine flu and meningitis.
Twenty-four hours later, she was both frightened
and confused to learn she had suffered a stroke.
Stroke can affect people of all ages—not just the
elderly, and it affects everyone differently. Russell’s stroke occurred in her
cerebellum and primarily affected her balance. It also left her with
overwhelming exhaustion and limited eye movement. Suddenly, everyday reading
activities were a challenge, let alone studying for and completing her
doctorate.
Early in her recovery, it took all of her energy
to move from the bedroom to the living room sofa. Russell had to learn how to
become aware of her energy and brain limitations. She scheduled time to focus
on her studies and was open to the fact that her brain would tell her when it
needed a break.
“There is life after stroke,” Russell concluded. She gradually returned to
work as the Director of Legislative Affairs at a law firm and recently
completed her doctoral studies, graduating in May 2011. “It is about taking one
day at a time,” she says. “Every day you make progress and get
better.”
Russell credits a large portion of her recovery
success to the support of her husband and caregiver, Trevor Hayes. The
two had celebrated their first
wedding anniversary just weeks
prior to the stroke. Hayes continues to be a champion of support for Russell
throughout her recovery—a life-changing process for them both.
Obtaining her PhD has been rewarding, yet her
story of recovery does not stop there. Russell’s new goal is to educate the
next generation about stroke. Now the recent graduate is creating a support
group aimed at young stroke survivors. She remembers feeling both isolated and
frightened after her diagnosis and wants others to know they are not alone. She
often stops by local hospitals to reach out to other stroke survivors. Russell
knows how far she has come in her recovery process and is using her story to
inspire hope in others as well.
Russell, like many other stroke champions, has
contributed her story to Faces of Stroke℠, National Stroke Association’s National Stroke
Awareness Month campaign that began in May 2011. Faces of Stroke is aimed at bringing attention to the personal
side of stroke and educating the public about important stroke facts. To learn
more about Russell’s story, or to share your own story, visit stroke.org/faces.
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