Stroke Patient Says Awareness Of Symptoms Could Mean Faster Recovery

Knowing the stroke warning signs can save a life. A health professional said the faster a person having a stroke gets help, the faster the recovery time.

Monica Bein was home with her husband when she said she noticed her vision changed.

She said after looking at a text and not being able to understand the words on the screen, she quickly alerted her husband that something was wrong.

“I knew I could be having a stroke and I was kind of still in denial that I could be having a stroke. And so I asked my husband to record me speaking because I wanted to see if it was as real as it felt,” Bein said.

Monica also happens to be a speech therapist who sees stroke patients for a living.

"I know the signs and symptoms of a stroke and I had learned this, and it’s been ingrained in me and I have seen it in so many patients. And when I started seeing it in myself, that is what made me be in denial," Bein said.

Monica said she had what's called an "ischemic stroke," which means that it did not bleed into the brain.

She said people can remember the stroke warning signs using the acronym, “be fast.”

"The 'b' stands for balance, the 'e' stands for eyes, the 'f' stands for face if you have a facial drupe, the 'a' stands for arm if your arm is not working properly, 's' is speech, which is the issue I was having, and the 't' means time is of the essence," Bien said.

She believes her quick response time saved her life and shortened her recovery.

Monica said if you feel you are having a stroke, immediately go to the hospital.