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Five years ago, my first stroke happened!

Five years ago today, I had my first stroke followed by a massive stroke three days later in the hospital. 

I did not even know my name and could not talk. 

Yet, today, I am flying to Seattle as the Chair of the College of Western Idaho talking about accreditation. 

Every stroke is different. My story is about hope, faith, perseverance, and love of family and friends. Never give up!

Here are some statistics about "Stroke in the United States:"

  • Stroke kills almost 130,000 Americans each year—that’s 1 out of every 20 deaths.1
  • On average, one American dies from stroke every 4 minutes.2
  • Every year, more than 795,000 people in the United States have a stroke.
  • About 610,000 of these are first or new strokes.
  • About 185,00 strokes—nearly one of four—are in people who have had a previous stroke.2
  • About 87% of all strokes are ischemic strokes, when blood flow to the brain is blocked.2
  • Stroke costs the United States an estimated $34 billion each year.2 This total includes the cost of health care services, medications to treat stroke, and missed days of work.
  • Stroke is a leading cause of serious long-term disability.2

Here is a video about my strokes:

https://youtu.be/LOAFIUx5S6c





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