Dr Oz: Woman Who Saved Herself
Doctor Oz showed off a selfie he took with some of the nurses he works with at the hospital. He said that we all want to be our own health advocates, and though selfies can be fun, they can also serve a purpose. Meet the Selfie Survivor!
For three days, a woman named Stacy documented her health problems on YouTube. She could not lift her left arm, her face was numb, and her speech was slurred. At the hospital, her tests were normal and they told her she was stressed out. But she was actually having a Stroke!
Dr Oz: Selfie Survivor
Dr Oz met the Selfie Survivor, a woman who videotaped herself in her car when she was having Stroke symptoms that could not be diagnosed at the hospital. (Jeffrey J Coleman / Shutterstock.com)
When the symptoms flared again while she was driving, she pulled over and turned on her phone’s video camera to record what was later diagnosed as a stroke. She attempted to smile and was unable to do so.
Dr Oz showed the actual video, which she took to show doctors as an example of what was happening to her. Then he welcomed her to the stage to congratulate her on her quick thinking.
Dr Oz: Having a Stroke On Video
Dr Oz said it was hard to watch someone having a Stroke on video. Stacy was age 48 at the time this occurred. Dr Oz said 1/5 of women who have Strokes are under age 55.
Stacy said she was afraid and did not know what to do. She thought she was having symptoms, but figured she was too young. Also, her other health measurements came back normal.
Dr Oz: Plaque Rupture Causes Stroke
Dr Oz showed an animation of the brain, with blood vessels coursing through. A bit of plaque ruptured and got stuck in a branch of the brain, slowly killing off brain tissue. Stacy’s video required doctors to look more carefully at what was happening to her.
He compared a normal brain scan to Stacy’s scan, illustrating an area of hers that was asymmetrical. Stacy does not have a history of Stroke in her family.
Dr Oz: Stroke FAST Reaction Test
Act quickly if you think you may be having a Stroke. Take this self-test.
- F – Face (when you smile, does one side of the face droop?)
- A – Arms (hold your arms out at equal height; is one lower?)
- S – Speech (do you have trouble speaking, with garbled words?)
- T – Time (call 911 immediately if you are having a Stroke)
If you are going to take a Selfie, Dr Oz said you should wait until after you call for emergency help. Stacy said she is back on track to be healthy and has been doing physical therapy.
“I want more Americans to be just like you,” Dr Oz said to Stacy.
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