Know the signs of a stroke, and be aware of the symptoms! We want to have you around for a long time!
 | Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg, especially on one side of the body |
 | Sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding |
 | Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes |
 | Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination |
 | Sudden, severe headache with no known cause |
Before my stroke, I was a ballet dancer.
I am a dancer and a stroke survivor. September 7, 2007 changed my
life forever and has given me the gift of opportunity to change the
lives of others.
The day before my first performance of the
New Orleans 2007 Cultural Season, I awoke at 4.30 a.m. with a piercing
headache behind my right eye. As I rose from my bed, I realized that
something was terribly wrong. Hours before, I had been balancing
effortlessly on the tiny tip of a pointe shoe, and now, I was unable to
walk across the room without holding onto every piece of furniture on my
right side. Unaware that the left side of my body was already
paralyzed, I went about getting ready for my day. When I wasn't able to
fully dress, my husband picked me up and rushed me to the emergency
room.
 |
In
the emergency room, I learned that I had suffered a stroke. While on
my way to my angiogram, I slipped into a coma. There were many
challenges along the way. On my first day of physical therapy, I spent
the day learning to hold my head straight, as all the muscles on the
left side of my body had weakened from the stroke.
I have
come a long way from the half-paralyzed girl who couldn't hold her head
straight. I am a proud stroke survivor, able to accomplish things that
in the beginning seemed impossible. I have performed acting and dancing
roles and proudly modeled a red dress in the New Orleans Go Red for
Women Fashion Show. Because of the work of the American Heart
Association, through its stroke division, the American Stroke
Association, I was able to receive the most advanced stroke treatments
and best possible care during my hospital stay.
Please support the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association by donating today.
You never know whose life it is that you will save. I would never
have believed that a 29-year-old non-smoking vegetarian ballerina who
works out for 4 hours each day could have a stroke. Please donate today.
Sincerely,
Sarah Abrusley
P.S. May is American Stroke Month. Learn more about stroke warning signs and symptoms.
