Chaylen Kuklinski
woke up one morning and couldn’t walk or stand. She managed to get out of bed,
crawl outside and lay on the ground with her dog. Her mother eventually found
her, and Chaylen was taken to the hospital.
At the age of 36,
having a stroke
wasn’t at the top of life concerns for Chaylen.
She was a young
working professional who spent the previous nine years as an Emergency Medical
Technician (EMT) at Aspirus Wausau Hospital (AWH).
Despite that, she
found herself at AWH being told she was having a stroke.
“I didn’t believe it
until I heard the medical team call for a code stroke,” says Chaylen.
She didn’t notice
any stroke
warning signs. She only knew that she couldn’t walk.
“Patients don’t
often realize they’re the ones having a stroke. Even people in the medical
profession such as Chaylen,” says Lisa Ebert, Aspirus Stroke Network
Coordinator.
She was eventually
flown to UW Madison for a neuroendovascular procedure.
This is common for
many patients suffering from an Ischemic
or Hemorrhagic
stroke.
Recognizing and
treating a stroke in a timely manner is critical. Outcomes are much better when
treatment is quickly administered. For
every minute the brain is deprived of necessary blood flow, 1.9 million brain
cells die.
“Fortunately,
members of her family knew the signs and symptoms of a stroke and got her
medical attention,” says Ebert. “Time is critical when one is having a stroke.”
Chaylen was
eventually transferred back to Wausau where she started her recovery at the AWH
Inpatient Rehab Unit.
Today, Chaylen
continues her path back to her past life. Her stroke affected the left side of
her body and she’s left-handed. She’s also a self-proclaimed talkative person
and the stroke has affected her speech as well.
“I was a hockey
player and an EMT. I worked my way up to a paramedic position with Aspirus
MedEvac,” says Chaylen. “I want to get back to doing those things.”
The signs of a
stroke often appear suddenly. By knowing the warning signs, you can help get
the treatment you or a loved one needs as quickly as possible.
Know the signs of a
stroke. Every second counts – BE FAST:
BALANCE – Sudden
loss of coordination or balance
EYES – Sudden change
in vision
FACE – Sudden
weakness on one side of the face or facial droop
ARM – Sudden arm or
leg numbness or weakness
SPEECH – Sudden
slurred speech, trouble speaking, trouble understanding speech
TERRIBLE HEADACHE –
Sudden onset of a terrible headache
Approximately
10-15 percent of all strokes occur in adults aged 18 to 50 years. May is
National Stroke Awareness Month and aims to raise awareness about the
prevention and treatment of a stroke. Understanding the many risk factors
for a stroke could save your life.
“Educate everyone
around you,” says Ebert. “60 percent of the time it’s not the stroke patient
that notices they are having a stroke. It’s children, grandchildren, friends.”
Chaylen continues to
work on her rehab. She’s working her way back a little bit each day.
“Every day I feel
like I’m getting back on track,” says Chaylen. “I just want to get back to work
and continue to live my life.”
More information on
local stroke care as well as related links can be found on the Aspirus website
at www.aspirus.org/stroke-care.