Diabetes Caused My Stroke: A Survivor’s Story – Craig Williams
Diabetes Caused My Stroke: A Survivor’s Story – Craig Williams
People with diabetes and prediabetes are at increased risk for stroke. Stroke survivor Craig Williams tells his story of how diabetes led to not only one, but two strokes for him and how his life has changed since he has taken control of his health.
Content
0.185 -> (emotional piano music)
4.89 -> - It was on a Thursday
morning, sitting at my desk,
7.23 -> and as I looked at the screen,
9.32 -> the words didn't make sense to me.
11.76 -> As I walking up to the printer,
13.96 -> I started veering to the right,
15.92 -> just missing the printer completely.
17.99 -> About six-thirty the next morning,
19.25 -> my doctor, who's a neurologist
20.95 -> at the hospital, came in.
23.35 -> And he said,
24.183 -> "Mr. Williams, you've had a stroke.
26.527 -> "You've had a brain stem stroke."
30.11 -> When I got home, I was
still very confused.
32.75 -> I couldn't speak very well.
34.7 -> When I would be talking, I
would forget words all the time.
38 -> I felt disoriented.
40.61 -> I felt angry, but as a diabetic,
43.66 -> all I ever thought about was
"I'm taking the medicine."
47.9 -> That means I'm good.
49.1 -> So I did have a second stroke
about six months later.
51.86 -> Ischemic stroke on the
right side of my brain
54.66 -> that affected my left side.
56.64 -> My left leg was weak, I
couldn't move it very much.
59.97 -> My left arm was weak.
61.92 -> I had slurred speech, but I could swallow
65.12 -> and I could talk fairly well.
70.47 -> My life has changed tremendously
for me since my strokes.
74.38 -> I'm now more healthier than
I've ever been in my life.
78.87 -> I keep numbers on my statistics every day,
81.94 -> and I have spreadsheets
that I put this all in
83.67 -> so I keep a count of it.
85.31 -> And I reward myself when
I've done a good job.
90.84 -> Very quickly, I found
out that I was having
92.61 -> a lot of free time.
94.2 -> So I started looking
for ways to do something
99.22 -> and my goal was to try
and give back to patients
101.44 -> that were having strokes now.
103.22 -> So my job was just to tell them
105.77 -> that there's life after stroke.
109.28 -> Don't allow yourself to
think that you're in control
113.44 -> when stuff happens to you like this.
115.58 -> You need to seek out medical help.
118.33 -> If you're feeling weak in your arms,
120.98 -> or if you're having slurred speech,
123.99 -> any of the signs that a
stroke may be occurring;
127.31 -> don't hesitate to call
an ambulance immediately.
132.49 -> My diabetes caused my stroke.
135 -> I've been a diabetic, I was
a diabetic for 25 years.
137.39 -> What happened to me, I reversed diabetes.
140.52 -> How did I do that?
142.33 -> Hard work.
144.77 -> Hard work.
146.41 -> Having a stroke is absolutely preventable.
150.8 -> If you're serious about your health
152.83 -> after you've had a stroke,
154.56 -> the first thing you need to
do is take care of yourself.
157.77 -> See your doctor as often as you need to.
160.39 -> And make sure that you're
taking your medications,
163.87 -> exercising and eating healthy foods,
167.57 -> because that makes all the
difference in the world.
169.29 -> You have to be determined.
171.19 -> You have to be consistent.
174.31 -> And you have to listen to your doctors.
176.734 -> (emotional piano music)
Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C-UdiXzXC_U