Because a stroke can come on so suddenly, you may miss the classic tell-tale signs until it’s too late. Even though many strokes occur in younger people, older people are more prone to strokes and should be more observant of “FAST” – FACIAL DROOP, ARM WEAKNESS, AND SPEECH PROBLEMS. I have also found cognitive problems and in my case a blind spot in my right eye and pain in my neck. Also, a few days before the stroke after an intense workout I got light-headed; having had a carotid dissection I probably should have had it checked out on the way home from the gym. These can also be precursors to a stroke. So, be vigilant of any strange or pain-related problems don’t tell yourself it’s nothing because it could be, don’t be a hero; better to be safe than sorry like I am!

And if you‘ve had a stroke, you can be prone to emotional ups and downs. Things like some of the following: laughing, crying, anger, frustration, anxiety, depression, despair, emotionalism (difficulty controlling emotions) and feeling suicidal. The reason you can experience some of these emotions is that you have been forced into a sudden, shocking traumatic brain injury. And a stroke is a unique experience for each person who’s had one.