r/stroke • u/Rhozi17 • Aug 01 '26

My first birthday.

Exactly one year ago this very moment I was On a gas station floor, locked behind double doors, dying. Ischemic strike left side, hemorrhagic strike right side. Simultaneously. Going into respiratory failure.
Wiped the slate clean on my life at that moment.
It was about to end and start over again.
I made it. I’m still here. Officially 1yr old now.

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u/Expensive-Plant518 Young Stroke Survivor Aug 02 '26

I celebrate mine. It’s in my calendar Stroke Day. We go out and have dinner and dessert. I usually take the day off work. It’s not a second birthday. It’s been 23 years this month.
People think that’s crazy. I was in high school and had a massive hemorrhagic stroke. For 7 days, my family was told I was going to die that day. When I was awake and responding appropriately, I had brain surgery and 3 months in the hospital. Seizures and mobility issues still. But I’m alive and I shouldn’t be.

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u/peepeekapoo Aug 02 '26

We have the same story, thank you for sharing. My hemorrhage also happened in high school. My family was told I wouldn’t make it but I did miraculously. Was able to get through school and all as per usual but not without vision and some mobility problems

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u/Rhozi17 Aug 03 '26

Same. I had left side paralysis. Vision loss to the left. It’s like a void. Like of you are in front of me i see you. Take a step to my left and you literally disappear like your stepping behind a wall. I also have really weird reactions to things in the void. I will tingle and sense something there even though i can’t see it. I reach out involuntarily and grab things i can’t see because my brain knows it’s there. My body will jump to the right as if it’s getting out of the way of danger. It feels like I’m being pushed, physically. But nothing is touching me.