UNDATED (KTHV) -- Sudden numbness, confusion, dizziness, are all symptoms of stroke. Quick treatment increases your chances of survival. Rapid rehabilitation increases your chances of physical recovery. We have more in this month's Prescription Arkansas report.
It's one of the happiest days of your life, the birth of your first child. Mary Hollensworth and her husband Trent took baby Cora home to begin their lives as a family when she had a stroke she says she wasn't sure what had happened. "I didn't think I'd had a stroke I'm 28 years old. Who's 28 and thinks about having a stroke, you know."
Mary lost the use of the right side of her body. "I couldn't do anything. I couldn't uh --- I just couldn't do anything." Once she was out of the hospital, Mary began treatment at Baptist Health Rehabilitation institute.
Occupational therapist John Johnston used something called a Sabo Flex. It's a glove with springs that keep her hand open then she uses her muscles to grasp a ball. When she relaxes her hand the splint will open and the ball drops in a bucket. This is to help get the use of her right hand back.
Johnston says it's important for a patient to get into rehab as soon as possible to help get back the ability to do everyday activities. "Which would include self care, housework, driving and walking. All the things we do and take for granted on a day to day basis."
Mary says there's one thing she'll never take for granted again. "I cannot explain to you how hard it is to have your speech taken away from you. That's harder than the leg and the arm." Mary says rehab has helped her so much. Now there's just one goal she's working towards.
"I want to live a normal life that's what I want to do; I want to live a normal life," she says.