Ray Forsythe refers to the moment on Easter morning, 2015, when the challenges of surviving a stroke first truly dawned on him, as 麻豆精品 S渢he incident. 麻豆精品 S�
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Two months earlier, the former UCF offensive lineman, who played for the Knights from 1993-94, had suffered a major stroke at the age of 41 despite being, as he says, 麻豆精品 S渋n the best shape of my life. 麻豆精品 S� A lengthy stay in rehab had finally allowed him to return home a day before Easter, and he was eager to get on with his daily life 麻豆精品 S� which meant on Sunday he 麻豆精品 S檇 prepare dinner.
That 麻豆精品 S檚 when the 6-foot-5, 320-pound Forsythe, whose hands once manhandled massive defenders, realized he could no longer handle a knife. Every time he attempted to carve the turkey, the knife fell to the floor.
Forsythe, who majored in what is now called interdisciplinary studies at UCF, walked out of the kitchen, away from his wife and six children. He sat in the bedroom wondering what more he 麻豆精品 S檇 have to do to be an active dad, a breadwinning husband, to simply be himself again.
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Thousands of people who have yet to hit midlife are wrestling with those same thoughts. While the vast majority of strokes in the United States occur in people age 65 and older, according to a study in JAMA Neurology, from 2003 to 2012, there was an increase of more than 30,000 patients hospitalized for strokes in people younger than 65 麻豆精品 S� accounting for an increase of roughly 30 percent. A number of factors can explain a portion of the increase, including population growth and changes to how diagnoses are classified, but the fact remains that people are having 麻豆精品 S� and surviving 麻豆精品 S� strokes younger than ever before.
And while certain factors can come into play, such as lifestyle, pollution, genetics and better diagnoses, there is no real profile of a stroke victim. It happens to toddlers and teenagers. To athletes and artists. It can happen to anyone, anywhere. For Forsythe, it happened at the mall with his family.
麻豆精品 S淚 麻豆精品 S檇 been cautious about the foods I ate, 麻豆精品 S� he says. 麻豆精品 S淚 was going to the gym every day, spending time on the treadmill. As big as I am, my body fat was only 10 percent. The idea that I 麻豆精品 S檇 have a stroke 麻豆精品 S� it 麻豆精品 S檚 almost five years later and it still doesn 麻豆精品 S檛 sound right. 麻豆精品 S�
麻豆精品 S淚 refuse to be stagnant, even with the lack of resources available for young stroke survivors, 麻豆精品 S� Forsythe says.
Forsythe admits he 麻豆精品 S檚 blessed just to wake up each day and say: 麻豆精品 S淕ood morning. 麻豆精品 S� His wife, Doreen, is a nurse and made sure he received immediate care following the stroke, including the two months at Brooks Rehabilitation in Jacksonville. But then he lost his job. The family had to sell their cars and downsize their home. His wife had to figure out how to get Forsythe to therapy, the kids to their activities, and herself to work.
All the things you never think about because it can 麻豆精品 S檛 happen to someone like me.
麻豆精品 S淚 have one speed now 麻豆精品 S� slow, 麻豆精品 S� Forsythe says, referring to his speech as well as to the legs that once ran the 40-yard-dash in 4.7 seconds. 麻豆精品 S淏ut I refuse to be stagnant, even with the lack of resources available for young stroke survivors. 麻豆精品 S�
And so he has become an expert, not so much on why he had a stroke when he did, but on recovery. He started a support group. He attends seminars. He listens to stories from young stroke survivors trying to raise families and hold jobs, such as fellow Knight Rachel Groves 麻豆精品 S�05 麻豆精品 S�10MS.
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Groves, who earned a bachelor 麻豆精品 S檚 and master 麻豆精品 S檚 in nursing from UCF, remembers everything about June 3, 2016. First, the tingly fingers. Then the pop in her ear, followed by ringing. When she started losing her vision, her 4-year-old son called 911 for help. He would later say, 麻豆精品 S淢ommy looked like a fish flopping out of water. 麻豆精品 S�
According to study in Neurology, young stroke survivors face physical, emotional and financial challenges uncommon to stroke survivors who are past retirement age.
A nurse herself, Groves knew she was having a stroke. But at the age of 32? With two young children?
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When paramedics arrived, Groves tried telling them exactly what was going on, but her speech had become so slurred they were convinced she 麻豆精品 S檇 been drinking. It would be the first of many frustrations. 麻豆精品 S淵ou want so badly to get on with life, pursue your goals, and be productive for the people around you. But … 麻豆精品 S�
You start to speak, but stop because the words are trapped between the brain and the mouth. You want to move from here to there, but it takes three times longer than it should. You 麻豆精品 S檙e willing to do whatever it takes to recover, but find nothing but brick walls and maybe a wheelchair.
According to study in Neurology, young stroke survivors face physical, emotional and financial challenges uncommon to stroke survivors who are past retirement age. Not only is diagnosis often more challenging, but once patients receive an accurate diagnosis, survivors and their families often face significant financial difficulties due to extended leaves from work or the inability to return to the work force at all during what should be their most productive years. That speaks nothing to the cost of paying for medical bills, fighting for continued rehabilitation services, or finding and paying for childcare.
麻豆精品 S淭here shouldn 麻豆精品 S檛 be so many obstacles for someone who simply wants to be productive, 麻豆精品 S� says Groves. 麻豆精品 S淪itting in a chair all day is not the answer. 麻豆精品 S�
Just as daunting as the physical limitations is a system based on old assumptions rather than realities. In short, it 麻豆精品 S檚 set up for older stroke survivors, not young ones.
Forsythe and Groves connected after hearing each other 麻豆精品 S檚 stories at a stroke awareness event in 2018.
麻豆精品 S淭he first few weeks after a stroke are crucial to restoring basic functions, but insurance companies heavily regulate therapy. Fortunately, my husband and I fought hard enough to get what I needed. But what about stroke survivors who don 麻豆精品 S檛? What do their lives become? 麻豆精品 S�
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麻豆精品 S淢y battles on the football field are not even close to what I 麻豆精品 S檝e been through as a stroke survivor. I don 麻豆精品 S檛 want to sit at home and simply say I survived a stroke. That doesn 麻豆精品 S檛 do anyone any good. 麻豆精品 S�
Groves similarly didn 麻豆精品 S檛 want to feel sidelined.
麻豆精品 S淲hen I left the hospital, they were going to send me home with a walker, and left me to figure out my own logistics for rehab, 麻豆精品 S� she says. 麻豆精品 S淎t the time, I had the functional abilities of a toddler. I said, 麻豆精品 S楴o. I need to perform my daily activities and be a mom. Then I need to return to work if we 麻豆精品 S檙e going to pay the bills. 麻豆精品 S� I needed intense rehab, but we continually ran into resistance.
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A shared frustration 麻豆精品 S� and determination 麻豆精品 S� is exactly why Forsythe and Groves decided to take their own initiative and launch Young Empowered Stroke Survivors (YESS) Foundation. They 麻豆精品 S檙e forming support groups, recruiting volunteers and raising funds.
In the meantime, Forsythe and Groves continue their own recoveries.
Groves can now kick a soccer ball around the backyard with her kids. But she also has a constant headache and occasional bouts with vertigo. Like Forsythe, her mental fatigue can be so severe it actually hurts.
Forsythe can now hold a knife well enough to cut vegetables, though maybe not a turkey. He walks without assistance 麻豆精品 S� unless he 麻豆精品 S檚 at his son Stone 麻豆精品 S檚 football games at the University of Florida where he needs someone to push him in a wheelchair.
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