Jenna Gibson was just 39 when she trained for a marathon five years ago – but her plans were cut short suddenly it almost cost him his life.
Nearly 60% of stroke deaths occur in women, according to a recent Mayo Clinic study – and now Gibson, a Michigan, mother of twoaims to help others be more aware and prioritize their health.
“Once I learned that strokes were happening in young people, I had to share my story,” she told Fox News Digital.
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“In most cases, strokes can be prevented if you know what to look for.”
The day of Gibson’s stroke, she felt fine.
Jenna Gibson was just 39 when she was training for a marathon five years ago, but her plans were interrupted by a stroke that nearly took her life. (Jenna Gibson)
It was a beautiful day, she had a successful presentation at work and she was enjoying a walk outside with her mother after dinner.
“We were talking about how I was training for the Detroit Marathon for my 40th birthday, and then all of a sudden, out of the blue, I felt like I’d been hit with a ton of bricks,” she told Fox News Digital.
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Gibson stopped walking, then suddenly fell into the grass.
At first, her mother thought she was joking. “She actually took a picture of me lying in the grass, saying, ‘Come on, get up, what are you doing?'”
“They could see there was a blockage on the left side of my brain and I was actively having a stroke.”
Her mother helped her up, but Gibson couldn’t walk straight.
“I felt like I was drunk – something was wrong,” she said.
Despite this, Gibson did not experience any of the classic symptoms of a stroke, such as facial drooping, severe headaches or blurred vision.
When Gibson first fell on the grass, her mother thought she was joking – and took this photo. It turned out that Gibson was in the early stages of a stroke. (Jenna Gibson)
They returned home, where Gibson thought she was have a migraine. She took some headache medicine and went to bed.
“A few hours later, I woke up and I still didn’t feel well: I couldn’t get out of bed, I couldn’t move,” she recalls.
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That’s when they went to the emergency room. Gibson’s mother told the medical team that her daughter was having difficulty walking and might be suffering a stroke.
“They examined me, did all the tests and didn’t see the typical signs they would look for,” Gibson said. “Part of it was that I was young.”
“I could walk, although it wasn’t very good. I could say a few words.”
She added: “I didn’t have any facial sagging. I could walk, although not very well. I could say a few words.”
After a CT scan, the medical team decided Gibson was likely suffering from an optical migraine. The next morning, when she still didn’t feel well, the neurologist ordered another CT scan with contrast – and this time, the stroke finally showed up.
Gibson is pictured with her husband and two daughters, aged 8 and 4 at the time of her stroke in 2019. (Jenna Gibson)
“They could see that there was a blockage on the left side of my brain and that I was actively having a stroke,” she said.
Gibson was immediately flown to another hospital, where she was emergency brain surgery to remove the blood clot.
“There was obviously a risk of death. If we didn’t act quickly enough, the deadline would have passed,” she said.
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As she was airlifted to the hospital, Gibson said she was certain she was going to die and would never see her husband or daughters, who were just 8 and 4 years old, again. the time.
“I thought I would never see my children grow up and get married, or that I would have to live in some sort of vegetative state and never work again.”
Gibson is pictured with her two daughters in hospital after her stroke. Her first “mission” was to tell her daughters that she loved them – and that “mommy is going to be okay.” (Jenna Gibson)
“I asked myself, ‘Have I told my daughters often enough that Mommy loves them? Does my husband know how proud I am of him?'”
The next thing she knew, Gibson was waking up from surgery in the ICU – and facing a long road to recovery.
“At first, I couldn’t speak at all. I couldn’t move my right side. I was stuck in my head: I could see what was happening and hear people asking me questions, but I couldn’t answer.”
‘By the grace of God’
Over the next few days, Gibson said his abilities slowly began to return.
She attended speech therapy, occupational therapy and physical therapy – and over time, she began to regain movement on her right side.
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Her first “mission” was to tell her daughters that she loved them and that “mommy will make it through this.”
After a few weeks, Gibson returned home and continued his outpatient treatment for three hours a day, three days a week for four months.
“The first six weeks was when we saw the fastest improvement, and then after that it was slower and slower,” she said.
“I had to relearn everything. And now, by the grace of God, I can do everything.”
“I wondered, ‘Have I told my daughters often enough that Mommy loves them? Does my husband know how proud I am of him?'” Gibson said of her stroke cerebral. She is pictured here with her husband and two daughters. (Jenna Gibson)
Today, Gibson is still completely numb on the entire right side of her body. She also sometimes has trouble finding the right words when she speaks, she said, especially when she’s tired or stressed.
“But if you see me, I look like a normal person,” she said.
And in an instant it came full circle, Gibson was finally able to complete the half marathon last October.
‘Every second counts’
Dr. Annie Tsui, Chief of Neurology at Access TeleCare, who is based in Texashighlighted the prevalence of strokes in women and called for awareness.
“Strokes can occur for a variety of reasons across age groups and genders,” Tsui, who was not involved in Gibson’s care, told Fox News Digital. “Even though strokes can occur at any age, women aged 20 to 39 are at twice the risk of men.”
Although the main risk factors for stroke are high blood pressurehigh cholesterol, heart disease, obesity and diabetes, the causes of stroke in younger age groups differ from those typically associated with older people, Tsui noted.
After her stroke was diagnosed, Gibson was flown to another hospital to undergo emergency brain surgery. (Jenna Gibson)
These may include heart problems, blood clotting disorders, genetic predispositions, vascular abnormalities or trauma.
“While no one is completely safe from the risk of stroke, those most at risk should work with their doctor to develop a prevention plan,” Tsui advised. “In general, maintain a healthy lifestyle is crucial because up to 80% of strokes can be prevented. »
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Being aware of the symptoms is crucial to receiving treatment as quickly as possible, according to Tsui.
She recommends using the acronym FAST, shown below, as a practical tool for identifying stroke indicators.
- Face (sag or numbness)
- Arm (weakness or numbness)
- Speech (poor or difficulty speaking)
- T like it’s time to call 911
Gibson underwent four months of intensive physical and occupational therapy during his recovery. (Jenna Gibson)
“The chances of survival and positive outcomes are higher when the patient receives timely medical attention” Tsui told Fox News Digital.
Some stroke treatments are only effective if given within three hours of symptoms appearing, she warned – with the risk of permanent brain damage or death increasing with each passing minute.
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“It is important to be vigilant in recognizing the symptoms of a stroke and to look for Medical assistance immediately at the first sign,” Tsui said.
“Every second counts to reduce the risk of brain injury, permanent disability, or even death.”
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