The next morning, she woke up with the worst throbbing head pain shed ever felt.
While she waited for her doctor’s office to open, her husband offered to make breakfast.
I tried to talk, but it was not coming out.
Danii Pollehn/Adobe Stock
I headed immediately down the stairs and my right arm became limp, Adelekun tells SELF.
I knew I was having a stroke because I was familiar withthe warning signs, she says.
But she couldnt communicate that.
The next thing she remembers is waking up three weeks later.
Whats causing the increase in stroke in young women?
And ICH strokes are increasing in young people.
Having one risk factor isn’t necessarily going to cause you to have a stroke.
I had no idea that people at 36 could even have strokes, Diaz tells SELF.
Both of these things were news to her.
Which often means youre putting others first.
I ignored my early symptoms because I had so many other things to do, she says.
But its essential to put yourself first.
Because if I hadnt survived, I wouldnt be here to celebrate any of my daughters milestones.
[As doctors,] we areneverbothered when people show up to the emergency room.
We would rather have you come in and get checked out."
Need help figuring out where to start?
Focus on one healthy habit where you might make some changes.
Sleep is so important for your brain health, Dr. Miller says.
I tell my patients there’s a reason we spend a third of our lives asleep.
Not smoking is a key preventive step to decrease your risk of stroke.
Think about ways to make physical activity a part of your daily routine too.
Remember you could start small, and try not to be too hard on yourself.
Just make little changes.
Whens the last time you went to the doctor?
Hey, no shamebut it might be time to make an appointment.
But you wont know your numbers unless you get them checked.
Some young people dont even have a primary care doctor, Dr. Cronin says.
If thats you, a good stroke prevention step to take is to schedule your first visit.
Experts emphasize the importance of blood pressure screening in particular, as hypertension is a leading cause of stroke.
But Dr. Miller doesnt let anyone off the hook for that.
This way, they can be sure youre not walking around with untreated high blood pressure.
Even if you do everything in your power to lower your risk of stroke, one can still happen.
Health organizations recommend memorizing the acronymB.E.
Let the operator know you may be having a stroke, so that they can alert the paramedics.
As a healthy young adult, how worried should you be about all of this?
To help other women take charge of their health, Adelekun shares her experience on Instagram at@stroke.mama.
I thought a stroke could not happen to someone so young," she says.
If she had, I would not be here today.
But I moved out of the wheelchair and just walked a 5K.
Diaz, too, is passionate about sharing her story in hopes it will help someone else.
She said, I want to thank you.
Just that one story is enough.
She was just like me; she had no idea you could have a stroke this young.
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