September 11, 2019

How to Survive a Stroke with Bill Monroe – Upside of 40 with Sean Mooney

Listen to the episode here

Certain medications for breaking up blood clots in the brain are only effective within the first few hours after symptoms appear
- For this reason, go to the hospital as soon as you think you’re having a stroke
High blood pressure, high cholesterol and sleep apnea are leading stroke risk factors
Use the acronym BE FAST to remember the signs of a stroke:
- Balance – sudden loss of
- Eyes – blurred vision
- Facial drooping
- Arm weakness
- Speech difficulty, slurred
- Time to call 911 if these symptoms are present in any combination
20% of strokes have no known cause

Bill Monroe (@CurrentlyBill) is a podcaster, writer and Gen-X stroke survivor
- Check out his podcast, Strokecast, and website

Did Bill have any health problems before his stroke?
- At age 46, he was overweight and had both high cholesterol and high blood pressure (210/160)
  - Plaque accumulates in arteries from high cholesterol causing them to narrow and become less flexible
Did doctors warn Bill of the risk for stroke?
- “They had given me warnings, but at that point, it was white noise- sure. I didn’t think about it.”
- 20% of strokes have no known cause

When Bill woke up on June 3, 2017, he noticed his left arm felt funny and that his left leg was wobbly
- The left side of his face had also started drooping
- He continued to lose functionality until 3 pm

“Because I woke up with symptoms, it meant that I was outside the window for some meds that mediate effects of stroke”
- Because of this – Go to the hospital as soon as symptoms appear
  - Certain medications for breaking up blood clots in the brain are only effective within the first few hours; it’s a very narrow window
  - The more quickly the clot starts dissolving, the quicker blood starts getting to the part of the brain that’s starving for it
Use an ambulance for transport: paramedics recognize stroke AND know which hospitals specialize in stroke care

Bill was left with paralysis of the life side of his face as well as his arm/leg
A couple of days after the stroke, Bill began his rehab
A few notes on the rehab process:
- Nerves have to regrow to teach the brain how to talk to muscles again
- In rehab, the goal is to bring back the brain-muscle connections through movement
  - Movement provides the signal/data that’s then sent back to the brain so it can start building new connections
  - Nerves that fire together, wire together!
- The term “muscle memory” isn’t entirely accurate because memory is in the brain, not the muscles
- The fastest recovery happens in the first couple of months
- Rehab pace varies based on:
  - Where the stroke occurred in the brain
  - How you were wired to begin with
  - ATTITUDE
- Progress is NOT limited to what you do during the first two months
  - Bill is still getting function back 2 years later

He watches his cholesterol and tries to keeps his blood pressure down
He focuses much more on exercise
He focuses on sleep
- Getting poor sleep can contribute to weight gain which, in turn, increase the risk for stroke

Repetition is how the brain learns
- Do physical and occupational exercises as often as you can – they build connections in the brain
Solve life’s everyday problems like they’re puzzles
Be responsible for your own recovery
- Therapists are not with you 24/7- “The only one that can make it happen is me”
Prioritize sleep
- The brain needs downtime for “maintenance”
- If you’re not getting good sleep, your brain can’t make crucial repairs or build new nerve connection
Celebrate small victories
- Celebrate the little things along the way (like being able to bend your wrist or make a fist) – it makes the recovery process so much easier

Know your numbers – blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar
Use the acronym BE FAST to remember the signs of a stroke:
- Balance – sudden loss of
- Eyes – blurred vision
- Facial drooping
- Arm weakness
- Speech difficulty, slurred
- Time to call 911 if these symptoms are present in any combination
Don’t get best, get better
- “You don’t have to be the best at everything you do, just get a little better every day”
Be positive – mental attitude helps with recovery
Don’t wait for something catastrophic to occur to make changes to your lifestyle
- “There might not be tomorrow”
According to the CDC, 800,000 Americans suffer strokes every year – about 140,000 will die annually