We are stressed out everywhere: work, family, obligations… and often put our health on the back burner. But our body tries to warn us long before the situation worsens. Sometimes subtly. Sometimes more directly. Until the day comes when we can no longer ignore the signals.
I had a mild stroke – a microstroke – and I share my experience not to alarm people, but to raise awareness. Because by learning to recognize the warning signs, we can take action early.
Let’s start with the question: what is a stroke?
A stroke occurs when the blood supply to part of the brain is interrupted. Brain cells that no longer receive oxygen die. The consequences can be serious: loss of speech, memory loss, paralysis, etc. The most common cause is thrombosis: a blood clot that blocks a blood vessel. This can be caused by an unhealthy lifestyle, a sedentary lifestyle, certain hormone treatments, or simply the aging of the blood vessels.
Here are four signals my body sent me… that I ignored
Here are four signals my body sent me… that I ignored
Vision changes for no apparent reason
It all started with a kind of “tunnel vision.” I could see clearly in front of me, but my peripheral vision became blurry. I thought it was just computer-related eye strain, so I didn’t react… but this symptom deserved my full attention.
Unusual weakness on one side of the body
During my regular exercises, I noticed that my right hand had difficulty responding. It seemed “asleep” and I was unable to hold it up. This phenomenon persisted for several days, with no apparent explanation.
Strange amnesia
During the conversation, I noticed that I was repeating the same phrase several times. Then, in the supermarket, I asked for something I had already received. It was as if a part of my brain had temporarily shut down.
Unstable Blood Pressure
Normally very stable, my blood pressure began to fluctuate. One day very low, the next abnormally high. An imbalance that caught my attention, but which I didn’t immediately take seriously.
Luckily I finally answered.
Continued on the next page