Surviving a stroke: Arizona mother's life saved after quick medical response
PHOENIX - Mother's Day is extra special for one Valley mom after she survived a stroke last year. Since then, she's been on a long road to recovery.
At just 35 years old, Stephanie Flynn suffered a stroke, and if it wasn't for her husband and doctor's quick response, she says she would not be here today.
"Over 30 years of life - I now look at it as as the biggest gift that I can ever receive," Flynn said.
The young mother of two never thought a stroke would happen to her at her age.
"All of a sudden my arms started to go tingly, and then I realized this is a little strange," she said. "I tried to shake it off, but I realized my whole right started to go completely numb and tingly."
Stephanie was able to gain enough strength to call her husband, who was five minutes away. With no idea what was happening, he rushed her to Abrazo West Hospital in Goodyear.
Doctors had discovered a blood clot in an artery in the back of her brain.
"If the artery gets occluded - basically that area of the brain controls the respiration and heart rate…so you can end up dying from it," said neurologist Sushant Kale.
Stephanie said she didn't realize how close she was to dying.
"I honestly didn’t understand the severity until they said to my husband, ‘You two might have to say goodbye,’ " she said. "I was honestly okay until I saw his face."
Doctors gave her medication called TPA to help break up the clot and performed surgery. She was out of the hospital after three days.
"If it wasn’t for these doctors and this facility here, there would’ve been a much different outcome," she said.
Stephanie has gained about 95% of the functionality in her right said. She says she is still working on her cognitive and emotional awareness.
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