Melissa Murray

Use the letters in F.A.S.T to spot a Stroke

• F = Face Drooping – Does one side of the face droop or is it numb? Ask the person to smile. Is the person's smile uneven?
• A = Arm Weakness – Is one arm weak or numb? Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward?
• S = Speech Difficulty – Is speech slurred?
• T = Time to call 911

In the middle of the night I woke up very sick. I felt like I was on a Tilt a whirl ride going 50km an hour. The room was spinning excessively.  My hands and feet were pins and needles, and I was sweaty all over. I woke up Dan and told him I needed help. I felt sick and needed to get to the bathroom. I had no motor control of my feet and couldn’t walk. I was slurring my words.

I knew this was all WRONG, and I told him to call 911. 

After hours and many many tests, it was confirmed I had a stroke. 

Thankfully, I don’t really have any deficits left over except for occasionally stuttering or struggling to find the right word. In the grand scheme of things I’m lucky. It’s crazy to say that I’m 40 and I had a stroke, but I know the with this outcome, I’m lucky. 

I’m super grateful I remembered learning about stroke in school and how time was of the essence. I’m happy I trusted my gut and asked for help. 

Please learn these warning signs…. And if anything seems off with someone call. You’d rather be safe than sorry.

 After the stroke it was discovered that I had Patent Foramen Ovale (PFO). My heart was missing a membrane that separates the right and left atrium. In 1/4 of people this membrane never forms. In my case, a small clot was able to pass through. In November 2022, I had a procedure to place an occluder in my heart to block the hole. Without this procedure I’d live with a much higher level of fear that another stroke would occur. I’m so grateful for the care that I received and the support that continues.