Patient Testimonial for Stroke
By Ms. Hanna Karonen
It was Thursday evening, weekend had just started. A routine night where I had just put my kids to bed. My husband and I, had just prepared dinner and I was setting up the plate. While doing so, I slipped one plate on the table. First I thought it was a mistake that it slipped from my hand. But when I tried the second and the third time they kept falling from my hand.
My immediate reaction was “ something is not right”. And instantly I realized my right side of the body was not functioning. Noticing my condition, my husband rushed to my side, and on the back of the spinney’s receipt I wrote 999.
I knew the signs, and realized that I was having stroke.
My husband asked to take me to Mediclinic Stroke Center, and I was immediately rushed by the Ambulance to the hospital, and by the time I arrived my symptoms were already improving.
Immediately recognized as a case of stroke, I was fully investigated from the Emergency Department to admission in the Stroke Unit to find the source of the clot that caused my stroke. A brain MRI confirmed the stroke lesion at the back of my head. Pharmacological treatment was immediately provided.
It was quite shocking news for me, considering that I am still young, I have a very healthy lifestyle. I don’t smoke, I exercise 5 days a weeks and I have never been ever admitted to hospital and in my entire life before. Yet this happened to me.
Health wise I was feeling fine, but the lingering feeling of what could have caused the episode, was worrying me.
Dr. Alessandro, Consultant Stroke Neurologist at Mediclinic City Hospital was handling my case and after investigating my condition where he ran different tests to see from where the blood clot travelled from, he identified, with a non-invasive Transcranial Echo-Color Doppler test, that I had a large hole in my heart that allowed a blood clot to directly reach my brain, blocking the flow of blood causing the stroke.
After getting my diagnosis, to prevent any future complication and stroke recurrence, it was decided that a procedure was needed to close the hole inside my heart. The procedure again was done here at Mediclinic City Hospital, by Dr. Talib, Consultant Interventional Cardiologist. The procedure was done in just 2 hours and after my discharge I was back to living my normal life again from next day.
I am thankful to Dr. Alessandro and all Mediclinic Stroke Staff, for identifying my patent foramen ovalis (PFO) / commonly known as hole in heart, as the hidden cause for the stroke and for providing the best, fast and safest solution, together with the Cardiologist Team, to prevent any further risk of stroke/brain attack.
