When Stroke Happens... at Age 27

Ever wonder what it's like to experience a stroke? Avid runner Emily Welbourn blogs about the day she had a stroke while running a race. At the sound of the starting gun, I charge forward with the other runners selected from around the world. In spite of being at peak physical health, I slowly realize my pace isn't sustainable. The one-mile marker is now ahead, I've got this. Just keep moving. Suddenly I am stabbed above the eyebrow...but no one is within arm's reach. Blindsided, I squeeze my eyes shut for a moment to tamper the pain, and the invisible knife is dragged across the top of my head down to my neck. Never imagining the worst, I will every part of my body to run through the pain. My ankles have somehow grown weights around them, and I watch runners pass me at a steady rate. Miraculously, the finish line comes into view and once again, I've got this. One more step. One more step. I hear my name announced as I cross and my body lurches to a halt as I feel my insides catch up with the rest of me. I must be dehydrated, there's no reason to feel this awful after three and a half miles. My left hand can't open a Gatorade, so instead I hold the bottle with my knees. I need to stretch for a bit, and then I'll find some ibuprofen, but girls nearby interrupt my train of thought. "Hey, are you okay?" I brush them off and discover what a baby giraffe must feel like when trying to sit in the grass. Which leg do I bend first? The pain has grown unbearable, so I decide...
Source: Healthy Living - The Huffington Post - Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news