'You've Got To Keep Going:' Stroke Survivor Shares Recovery Story

May is Stroke Awareness Month, a time to remind our loved ones of the signs, symptoms, and information that can save a life.

One staff member at OU Health is a stroke survivor herself and hopes sharing her story can inspire others.

It was Sheila Campbell's own resilience and determination that helped her recover after her stroke went untreated for six days. In September of 2018, her life changed forever on a drive to pick up her son.

"He got in the car, and he said "Hey, mama," and I said "hhh" like that just "hhhh," you know?" Campbell described.

The pair thought it was a side effect of prescribed pain medication, but six days later, she went to the doctor.

"That's when they did an MRI and said I’d had an ischemic stroke," Campbell said.

The stroke left her with expressive aphasia.

"When my son came to visit me in the hospital I couldn't talk. I couldn't make or form a sentence," she said.

The condition leaves patients able to understand information, but unable to communicate.

"That leads patients to frustration because they understand everything, and they want to express themselves," Dr. Evgeny Sidorov, Campbell’s neurologist at OU Health, said.

Sidorov witnessed her hard-fought battle to regain her speech.

"Sheila has such a strong will to recover,” Sidorov said. “She is willing to work hard and she had so much dedication."

Today, Campbell is back at OU Health doing what she loves most.

“I work with patients," Campbell said.

Shining her light and positivity as a patient services representative.

"I get to share my story with them. Some of them have had aneurysms or TBIs like myself, and so we talk," Campbell said.

While her speech isn't perfect, Campbell says she’s grateful to be alive.

"This is a part of my new normal,” she said. "God kept me here for some reason."

She leans on her faith every day and hopes to inspire someone else with her story.

"I don't know if what I’m saying can help somebody, but you’ve got to keep going. You're on this earth for a reason," Campbell said.

OU Health says any sudden changes in balance, eyesight, speech, any sudden facial drooping, or arm weakness are all signs of a stroke.