A personal story of brain stroke recovery, timely treatment, rehabilitation and the importance of recognising early warning signs to save lives
Dr. Aditi Panda
‘Blank eyes, with no recognition. Limbs slowly becoming stiff and no control over his body.’ That was how I saw him on that fateful early morning when I thankfully stumbled upon him while getting up to use the bathroom.
My first emotion was a groggy rush of rage at him for disturbing my blissful sleep in the early morning hours. When he didn’t respond, I became concerned because he hadn’t moved. I turned on the nightlight and saw him lying on the bed. I immediately switched on the tube lights and was shocked to see him staring back at me with a blank, lifeless look in his eyes. I tried to give him some water, but it spilled out. I started talking to him, but it was pointless. It was 4:45 a.m.
I rushed into action, and after a few frantic phone calls, with friends rushing to support us, I was able to take him to the hospital within 30 minutes. Since it was early in the morning, there were fewer patients, and because my husband and his friends had a few connections in the medical fraternity, treatment began immediately without the customary N number of formalities. I thanked God for these tiny mercies because a lot of precious time is often lost when people have no idea what to do or whom to reach out to. That delay can increase the impact of a stroke while postponing the immediate line of treatment.
Amid the turmoil and disarray, more friends and colleagues hurried to the hospital to help us, and I was instructed to sit quietly in a chair while the tests were conducted. That’s when my brain began asking questions, the first of which was: What was wrong with my husband? Was it a heart attack, a paralytic attack, or a stroke? My mind was racing as I tried to make sense of what was happening. The doctors inundated me with questions, and I did my best to answer them with complete focus, drawing on every bit of memory I had. Looking back now, I realize that if my memory had been this sharp during my board exams, I might have made it to the merit list. Nobody told me anything, although I was bombarded with questions one after another.
After what felt like an eternity, I was finally told that my husband had suffered a brain stroke. I was devastated because I had never imagined, even in my wildest dreams, that he could have a brain stroke. Fortunately, things moved quickly, and medical care began within an hour. My husband started showing signs of recovery—slight, but encouraging.
This was only the beginning.
Days in the hospital were followed by a barrage of tests, rehabilitation, and then an overwhelming life journey in which I became Arjuna, and my husband’s recovery became the fisheye that had to be hit, come what may. For middle-aged couples living alone, managing everything for an ailing spouse—whether husband or wife—is another Herculean task. This is where digital technology becomes your saviour.
It’s been two years, but the experience is still fresh in my mind and continues to haunt me. Although he has recovered to the tune of 85 to 90 percent, life has changed for both of us. The first thing that bothers me is how little discussion there is about brain strokes. People are unaware of the early symptoms because nothing happens overnight. The warning signs are there, but because we are unaware of them, we fail to recognise them. The trigger builds over time and finally erupts like a volcano, affecting the person without warning.
Life was never plain sailing for either of us; it was always a roller coaster. When we lost our only daughter, it became even more difficult as joy, happiness, and anticipation faded from our lives. We both started afresh, trying to keep ourselves busy by filling the vacuum she left behind. We weren’t always miserable or depressed. Helping others and giving back to society what we had received became our survival mantra. This, however, resulted in unpredictable working hours and, to some extent, a neglected lifestyle.
My husband was on his toes for nearly 18 hours a day. He often forgot to take his medicines and meals on time, even though he was also a COVID survivor. He walked religiously but rarely rested because he was providing pandemic-related rehabilitation services around the clock. He would be so exhausted that he often fell asleep without even washing his hands after eating. Looking back now, we believe his brain stroke was the result of the lifestyle he was compelled to lead, particularly after the pandemic.
Today, people—including children—are exposing themselves to increasing levels of stress because of sedentary lifestyles and the growing influence of social media. This affects mental health and may increase vulnerability to brain stroke, yet this rising non-communicable disease (NCD) is rarely discussed. Fortunately, my husband was in good hands and received timely treatment. However, after this incident, I spoke with other survivors and their families, and the most common response was, “We were unable to understand what had happened, and even the doctors took time to comprehend it.”
Excessive screen time and the habit of using phones at odd hours put additional strain on the brain, particularly during middle age when work pressure is often at its peak. It is time for us, as a community, to work together and speak more openly about this growing threat so that the right action can be taken as early as possible. More importantly, awareness of the early warning signs must spread before a brain stroke becomes a health disaster. After all, we all believe that prevention is better than cure.
Let us join hands and work together in solidarity to create a healthier ecosystem that reduces the impact of this devastating health emergency. A brain stroke changes not only the survivor’s life but also the lives of the entire family.
(The author is a development sector professional. Views expressed are personal.)