On a seemingly ordinary day in September of 2008, Deanne F., of Medford, was preparing for her day when she noticed weakness on the right side of her body. Feeling tired, she sat down to take a break. Little did she know this day would change her life forever.
Deanne woke up in the hospital 13 days later from an induced coma, caused by a thalamic stroke. A thalamic stroke affects the thalamus, which is the area of the brain responsible for relaying sensation, for motor signals and spatial sense to the brain. A stroke occurs when the blood supply to the brain is suddenly interrupted. Unless the flow of blood can be quickly restored, brain cells begin to die, and various functions the brain controls begin to deteriorate. A thalamic stroke occurs in 15% of all stroke cases (more than 140,000 people die each year from stroke in the United States), with only a 4% survival rate. “I feel very blessed to be here,” says Deanne.
After coming to the realization of her prognosis, Deanne now had to figure out how to manage life after a stroke. A positive, bubbly and forward thinker, she never let it get her down. “I refuse to let this stroke define me,” says Deanne. “I’m going to have a sense of humor about it and live each day as I did in the past.”
Deanne was searching for other people who were living life after a stroke, but found there weren’t options in the area. After speaking with Sherry Meyer, marketing and sales for Memorial Nursing & Rehab Center, they started a stroke support group.
Today, a small group of stroke survivors meet monthly to discuss options to make life easier. “The group means so much to all of us. It’s the understanding of knowing what each other is going through. It’s not just emotional, it’s the practical day-to-day things, and it’s learning the new normal post- stroke,” says Deanne. The group invites speakers, including occupation and physical therapy, yoga specialists and more. Each meeting brings hope and joy to each other through camaraderie and understanding.
“While a stroke wasn’t in my plan, it’s truly been a gift – a gift of faith that tests me every day,” says Deanne.
For more information on joining the Stroke Support Group, please contact Sherry Meyer at 715.748.8875.