FRONT ROYAL — According to the World Stroke Association, someone
suffers a stroke every 45 seconds in the United States. Over 12 million
people worldwide will have a stroke each year, and around 7.3 million
people will die as a result.
May is designated as National Stroke
Awareness Month, dedicated to raising awareness about stroke, promoting
prevention and improving care for stroke survivors. The month also
highlights the importance of recognizing stroke warning signs and acting
quickly to seek medical attention, said Juhi Vora, a speech-language
pathologist who runs the Front Royal Stroke Support Group through Warren
Memorial Hospital.
Formed in 2011 to provide stroke survivors and
their caregivers with emotional support and resources for recovery, the
group meets monthly to share stories, build camaraderie, learn and have
fun.
“Strokes
affect everybody very differently,” said Vora, noting that while some
are mostly impacted physically, others struggle with speaking and
communication or cognition and memory.
The group, which ranges in
size between 10 to 20 people depending on the activity, is also varied
in age, with some members in their 30s and others in their 70s and 80s.
Vora
said that many group members — and their caregivers — experience
emotional anxiety, depression from a loss of independence and social
isolation.
“Not everyone understands this journey and the toll it
takes not only on a stroke survivor, but also on their caregivers,” she
said. “It’s a full-time job for the caregivers. We make them feel that
they’re not alone in this journey and that there is hope. There is
recovery. Things will get better and they will find the support and
connection they need in the recovery process.”
Stroke survivors Michael Fletcher and Joshua Kopetz attend the support group regularly and say it has been invaluable to them.
Fletcher,
who grew up in Front Royal and graduated from Warren County High School
in 1985, was working for Verizon at the time of his stroke 16 years
ago.
He woke up one September morning to find himself paralyzed.
“I
don’t remember being in pain. I remember when they told me I’d had a
stroke, I knew recovering from the stroke was going to be the hardest
work I've ever done in my life — and it was,” said Fletcher, who said he
walks with a cane because of the stroke’s effect on his left side.
He said he worked diligently to recover from the stroke, and continues to exercise to stay mobile.
In
the midst of physical and occupational therapy, former Warren Memorial
occupational therapist Michelle Davies reached out to Fletcher and told
him she was starting the support group.
“We have a camaraderie.
Stroke has affected everyone the same, but different. Everybody has
different effects from stroke, but we’ve all suffered the same thing,”
Fletcher said. “I love the group. We have a sense of closeness when
we’re all together. We all like each other.”
A 2000 graduate of
Warren County High School, Kopetz lives in Ladysmith with his wife. He
comes to Front Royal every month to visit his parents, attend doctor’s
appointments and participate in the support group.
“At
first I didn't want to go,” recalled Kopetz, who suffered a stroke in
August 2020 after breaking his shoulder in a fall. “My anxiety was way
up after the strokes, but since I've been going there, I’ve been meeting
other people who are an inspiration to me. They give me inspiration to
keep going.”
Kopetz was rushing into work during a downpour and
slipped and fell, landing on his left shoulder. Doctors confirmed he had
fractured his arm. After seeking treatment, Kopetz drove himself home.
Although
he and his family didn’t know it at the time, a blood clot had formed
in his arm, traveled to his chest and then into each side of his brain
stem causing a stroke. His parents, Melody and John Kopetz, went to
visit him.
“By the time we got there, he had lost his vision. He
was not able to speak or function or move,” said Melody Kopetz, adding
that the family thought he was dehydrated and nursed him at home for two
days before taking him back to the hospital.
“As we know now, you
have a window of only six hours to get medical help,” said Melody
Kopetz, adding that her son had to re-learn everything from how to walk
and talk to how to eat.
“The best analogy I can give is that it’s
like when you restart a computer and it takes a long time to re-boot.
That's how I was,” Kopetz said.
Melody Kopetz said the support group has been helpful in building community connections for the family.
“The people are really wonderful and the instructors are really great,” she said.
Vora
said that the group enjoys a variety of activities — from bowling and
bingo to holiday gatherings, bonfires and walks together. She also
coordinates guest speakers to talk about community resources and new
developments in the care of stroke patients. She said that while group
members are open about sharing their stories with new members, many
long-time members really enjoy having fun together.
“They’ve been
through this process, seen multiple doctors and rehab specialists. They
have heard about stroke over and over and over,” said Vora. “They want a
space to just be themselves without any judgement and have some fun
activities.”
Symptoms of a stroke include weakness/numbness of the
face, arm, or leg, especially on one side of the body; confusion,
trouble speaking, or understanding; trouble seeing in one or both eyes;
sudden trouble walking; dizziness, loss of balance or coordination; and
sudden severe headache with no known cause.
Vora noted that the
brain controls many functions including vision, speech, movement,
thinking, reasoning and understanding. A stroke can cause damage to the
brain tissue, which can affect one's ability to talk, move, walk, think,
or swallow. Because of this, stroke is a leading cause of serious
long-term disability.
To reduce the risk of stroke, Vora suggested
eating a healthy diet, controlling diabetes, monitoring blood pressure,
exercising and quitting smoking and alcohol.
The stroke support group is open to all stroke survivors and caregivers. For more information, email jvora@valleyhealthlink.com or call 540-635-0730.
