For every minute a stroke goes untreated, nearly two million brain cells die. That makes it important to get help quickly. May is Stroke Awareness Month, a time when healthcare providers highlight the significance of immediate medical intervention during the sudden emergency.
“Getting the diagnosis for treatment in as short as time as possible is key to a patient’s outcome,” says Dr. James Bohan, Emergency Medicine Physician at Arnot Health, a Member of Centralus Health.
There are risk factors that increase your chances of having a stroke, but this unexpected health event can affect anyone.
“I have seen strokes happen to people of all ages, all backgrounds. It can impact anybody,” says Alyssa Wimsatt, Emergency Department Assistant Nurse Manager at Arnot Health, a Member of Centralus Health.
It could even happen to a specialized healthcare professional who manages, develops, and oversees a hospital’s stroke program.
“About two and a half years ago, I had a mini-stroke,” says Laura Frank, Stroke Coordinator and Member of the Stroke Support Group at Arnot Health, a Member of Centralus Health.
Laura says she was in denial about her symptoms from the moment they started. She knew all the signs and symptoms but had a hard time admitting that she wasn’t feeling well.
“It’s hard to believe a stroke could happen to someone in healthcare. It was embarrassing, sitting in a meeting like that. It’s knowing the word that you want to say, and it just won’t come, and having other people finish your sentences for you a lot of times.”
With survivors on staff and in the community, Arnot Health’s physical therapists recognized a need for support for those who were recovering and trying to adjust to life beyond a stroke.
“A stroke is a profoundly life-altering event. Survivors and caregivers often find themselves feeling lost, overwhelmed, and emotionally exhausted. Facing these challenges alone can be isolating and discouraging. It’s important to learn from those who have walked this path before, to share openly, and to offer mutual support,” says Aga Ziembicka, Physical Therapist at Arnot Health, a Member of Centralus Health.
Support groups foster connections with peers who understand the recovery journey, helping to improve mental health, boost confidence, and enhance overall quality of life through shared experiences.
“People should join because we get to learn things from other people and about them. It helps us to know we aren’t alone and realize how far we’ve come with our strokes,” says Laura.
Members share tips with other survivors and caregivers on daily living, rehabilitation strategies, and coping with new physical or cognitive limitations.
“Through the inclusion of thoughtful and engaging guest speakers, we strive to reach the diverse interests of our members. Our goal is to inspire, encourage, and empower each person to make small but meaningful changes in their daily lives,” says Aga.
Laura says making healthier choices early on in life is more important than ever, with noticeably higher rates of young stroke patients turning to her and the care team during the unpredictable health emergency.
“You look at kids nowadays—how overweight and how unhealthy they are. What’s that going to be like in 20 or 30 years when they start having issues?”
The acronym BEFAST—balance, eyes, face, arms, speech, and time—is used to identify signs of a stroke. Laura says there are other symptoms to look out for.
“Dizziness, nausea, vomiting, double vision, walking o/ balance—anything sudden that comes on.”
If you experience any of these symptoms without any reasonable explanation, call 911. It may seem faster to drive yourself to the hospital, but providers say it may take longer for lifesaving treatment to start.
“The ambulance looks for signs of a stroke and, if they think it is, they’ll call us ahead of time so we can be prepared in the emergency department,” says Dr. Bohan.
Stroke-related symptoms are serious. Blood clot dissolving medication that stops or eliminates symptoms can only be given within a three-hour window from the time your symptoms start.
Arnot Health and Cayuga Health, members of Centralus Health, offer emergency care for peoplesuffering from a stroke. Arnot Ogden Medical Center, located at 600 Roe Avenue, Elmira, and Cayuga Medical Center, located at 101 Dates Drive, Ithaca, are designated stroke centers.
The stroke support group meets twice a month at St. Joseph’s Hospital, 555 St. Joseph’s Boulevard, Elmira. For more information call (607) 735-5322 or email strokesupport@arnothealth.org.
