Keynote Speaker
Mary Ellen Rinaldi
Mary Ellen Rinaldi is a speaker with Loretta LaRoche productions.
Our Survivor
Denise Dyer, Stroke Survivor
Last year Denise Dyer suffered a stroke at age 27. Her symptoms included feeling off-balance, lethargic, a pounding headache and her tongue felt funny. After a day of feeling off, her mother noticed she was gray, her mouth was crooked and thought her daughter had a stroke.
Denise denied she was having a stroke and refused to take an ambulance but did go to the hospital. She had been born with a hole in her heart and that didn’t mix with her birth control. Unfortunately the hospital didn’t find this health history a concern. Why would they? She was a normal 27 year old with no major health problems, no problems speaking, raising her hands and walking. She was told she had a virus, and sent home.
After a week of working, driving, and sleeping a lot at her desk her primary physician ordered an MRI, but had little concern that it could be stoke. The MRI reveled she did have a stroke. After meeting with a cardiologist Denise was told she wouldn’t be able to have children due to the blood thinners she was on.
In response, Denise said, “That ruins my plans. My plan was to get married, then get a house, and then make babies. This will not stop me.” Luckily due to advancements in cardiovascular care, she was able to have a device implanted to fix her condition and can now try to have children.
After her stroke a paramedic friend of Denise’s summed it up: “Denise, my co-workers and I would complain every time we got calls for twenty-something’s with chest pain. You taught me that anyone can have a stroke or heart attack. You don’t need to be a fifty-something. You helped me become a better paramedic.”
Don’t dismiss the symptoms of a stroke, know that any of us can have a stroke. May is Stroke Awareness Month.
