Woman, 34, found out she had stroke after husband spotted serious sign

Chris Fountain says he couldn't 'read aloud' after mini-stroke

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A stroke describes a medical emergency that requires a swift response to limit the amount of potential damage triggered by the cut-off blood supply to your brain. Catherine Fahey, 34, was asleep in bed when the emergency struck. Fortunately, her husband quickly picked up the warning signs.

As stroke requires an urgent medical treatment, being asleep during the emergency is less than ideal.

Fortunately, Catherine Fahey’s husband, Kyle Fahey, spotted the warning signs for her.

Giving her a fireman’s lift over his shoulder, Kyle rushed her to the nearest hospital.

The red flag symptom that alerted him of a stroke was Catherine’s drooping mouth.

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The 34-year-old mum was in the bed asleep, when her husband noticed something was seriously wrong. 

Kyle had woken his wife to let her know the kids were in bed but suddenly spotted that her mouth had sagged on the left side.

Another tell-tale symptom that alerted him of the emergency was her slurred speech.

Fortunately, he acted quickly and took Catherine to Lincoln County Hospital’s A&E, after being told an ambulance would take two hours.

Doctors then confirmed that Catherine was having a stroke and administered her medication called alteplase.

The good news is that she has made a miraculous recovery. Catherine told Lincolnshire Live: “Kyle absolutely saved my life. 

“It’s just amazing how he knew. We’ve been together since we were 19 and married at 21, so I feel like he just knows me so well.

“If it had been anyone else around me, they wouldn’t have known the way Kyle did. It means the world what he did for me.”

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The night of the event she was at home watching a film with children Alfie, 14, and Bella, 11.

She said: “We’d been downstairs in the living room watching The Lion King with the kids. I went up to bed, and Kyle followed me not long after. 

“I’d already been up to go to the bathroom once and I felt fine.

“He turned the light on and started talking to me, just to tell me both the kids were in bed. He asked if I was OK, but as soon as I replied, he definitely knew something was wrong. 

“I had absolutely no idea, in my head I thought I was talking and acting fine, but I wasn’t.”

Fortunately, Catherine has made a speedy recovery but she has to take cholesterol medication and blood thinners for life.

What are the key symptoms of a stroke?

According to the NHS, the main stroke symptoms can be remembered by the word FAST:

• Face – the face may have dropped on one side or the person may not be able to smile, or their mouth or eye may have drooped.
• Arms – the person may not be able to lift their arms and keep them there because of weakness or numbness in one arm.
• Speech – their speech may become slurred or garbled, or the person may not be able to talk despite appearing to be awake; they may also have difficulty understanding what you’re saying.
• Time – it’s time to dial 999 immediately if you notice any of these signs or symptoms.

If you think you or someone else is having a stroke, you need to phone 999 “immediately” and ask for an ambulance, according to the health service.

“The sooner a person receives treatment for a stroke, the less damage is likely to happen,” it adds.

 

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