Suzie Reid was in the middle of one of her standard weekly workouts when she “got a strange feeling out of nowhere.”
The 34-year-old, from New South Wales’ Central Coast, stayed away for the rest of PE class and thought she’d shake it off.
But when she got back to the car, the left side of her face felt “completely numb.”
Speaking to FEMAIL, Suzie said she didn’t realize it at the time – but she was having a stroke due to a blood clot in her brain.
The young disability worker says doctors concluded the drastic incident happened because she was “too stressed” up to 12 months before the incident.
“My body attacked itself,” she recalls.
Suzie Reid suffered a stroke while training. After working closely with doctors, it was confirmed that this was because she had been “too stressed” for the past 12 months (now pictured).
Speaking to FEMAIL, Suzie said she hadn’t realized it at the time, but she was having a stroke due to a blood clot in her brain (pictured days before the stroke).
“I called my partner, but while I was talking, my speech sounded very slow and sluggish. “I started dribbling, my eyes went completely black and it was like everything was moving in slow motion,” said Suzie (pictured in the ambulance).
“I called my partner, but while I was talking, my speech sounded very slow and sluggish. “I started dribbling, my eyes went completely black and it was like everything was moving in slow motion,” Suzie said.
By this time, Suzie’s fiancé knew something was terribly wrong and an ambulance was called. When they arrived, their speech had “completely disappeared.”
“When I jumped out of the car to get into the ambulance, my entire left leg gave out. “It was completely dead and I dragged it across the floor,” she said.
“Trying to explain to the doctors what happened was frustrating because I couldn’t speak. They did some testing and that’s when I realized my entire left side had just given up – it felt like stone.”
Suzie spent a few nights in the hospital before doctors could determine what was happening to her body.
She had a CT scan that confirmed a tiny blood vessel in her brain was blocked, causing the stroke.
“The doors of the stroke ward opened and, frankly, it smelled like death.” I thought, “What’s going on? Why am I here?” “I was put in a room with three elderly gentlemen (who were patients) and couldn’t understand it all,” she said.
“I didn’t tell my family what happened for two days because I didn’t want to upset them.”
Suzie did not need surgery but was given blood thinners. She remained in the hospital for a week before beginning rehabilitation and was in a wheelchair for six weeks.
After the traumatic incident, Suzie’s left side remained paralyzed for three months, which she says was the “worst part”.
She also had to learn to walk again before venturing out on a trip abroad.
After six to 12 months of looking back, doctors concluded that the cause of the stroke was due to the stress Suzie had been under – meaning this can happen to anyone (pictured with her now-fiancé, Reece).
After the traumatic incident, Suzie’s left side remained paralyzed for three months, which she says was the “worst part”. Luckily, she has regained her strength and mobility but is now watching her lifestyle to avoid further health consequences (pictured six weeks after the stroke)
Suzie’s story at a glance:
Childhood: Suzie was an “all-around kid athlete” and hoped to one day make it to the Olympics. She trained high jump
At the age of 13, she was diagnosed with permanent rheumatoid arthritis – a lifelong disease that “eats the body from the inside out” and destroys “every muscle”.
Her dream of ever making it to the Olympics is shattered
Teenage years: Repeatedly hospitalized due to illness that often left her bedridden
2016: Suzie “ripped her gullet” in the UK.
She also suffered from a number of health problems, such as intestinal diseases and kidney stones
2021: Suzie and her partner of seven years split up, her house was broken into twice, the Corona measures were in place and she also had kidney stones
The constant extreme stress kept building up
2022: Suzie suffers a sudden stroke from a blood clot in the brain, which doctors say was caused by stress
Suzie explained that she has suffered from medical problems in the past and has previously felt like she was on her deathbed.
Still, doctors found no link between the stroke and her previous health problems.
Instead, after six to 12 months of backtracking, doctors concluded that the cause of the stroke was due to the stress Suzie had been under – meaning it could happen to anyone.
Suzie said she always puts others ahead of herself and is constantly thrown off course, but enjoys the busy lifestyle. Although this led to her downfall.
A year earlier she was suffering from extreme stress.
She and her partner, with whom she was together for seven years, separated, her house was broken into twice, the Corona measures were in effect and she also had kidney stones.
“It was the most terrifying thing – one bad thing after another,” she said.
At that time, she also took care of a disabled family member.
“It was almost like I was the last person I really cared about,” she explained.
Everything just kept building.
“Doctors have said the number of women in their 30s who have a stroke today is so high it’s hard to believe,” she said.
“And because women have so much to deal with, the stress builds up behind the scenes.”
Luckily, she has regained her strength and mobility, but is now watching her lifestyle to avoid further health consequences.
Suzie spent a few nights in an emergency before doctors could determine what was happening to her body. She underwent a CT scan and confirmed that a tiny blood vessel in her brain was blocked, causing the stroke
Can Stress Cause a Stroke?
Stress can cause the heart to work harder, blood pressure to rise, and blood sugar and fat levels to rise.
These things, in turn, can increase the risk of blood clots forming and traveling to the heart or brain, causing a heart attack or stroke.
In addition, when you feel stressed, it can be difficult to lead a healthy lifestyle. Instead of exercising to relieve stress, you might overeat, eat unhealthy foods, drink too much alcohol, or smoke.
These behaviors, in turn, can increase your risk of heart disease and stroke.
Source: Heart and Stroke
The traumatic sequence of events is in stark contrast to when Suzie was younger.
As a child, she always hoped to be at the Olympics one day and was an “all-round athlete”. She was in top form and trained high jump.
But her dream fell through at the age of 13 when she was diagnosed with permanent rheumatoid arthritis.
As a child (pictured aged 13), she always hoped to one day make it to the Olympics and was an “all-round athlete”.
She described the lifelong condition as a type of disease that “eats away at the body from the inside out” and destroys “every muscle.” This meant her strength and fitness would be affected.
“At first I had this pain in my arm, but everyone thought it was growing pains.” “I suffered for almost a year, then I was diagnosed and I could hardly go to school because it was so bad,” she recalls .
For two years she was hospitalized intermittently and often had to resort to a wheelchair to get around, and the treatment used caused her hair to fall out.
“Now many parts of my body are compromised – my hands look like skeletal fingers and I have kidney stone disease,” Suzie said.
“It took me almost 15 years to come to terms with this and the fact that I will not be going to the Olympics.”
She’s also had a series of “near-death experiences” from various medical issues, including kidney stones, infections, and being told she’s septic.
In 2016, Suzie “ruptured her esophagus” when her breast started “producing too many air bubbles,” which expanded in her throat and caused the rupture. At the time she was in the UK and remained in hospital for three weeks.
“I feel like I was born to an amazing life and travel is part of it.” “I worked so hard as an athlete but that dream was taken away from me so early,” she said.
“I’m not going to sit back and let that get me down. I’m going to live the life I want to live.”
What are the symptoms of a stroke?
During a stroke, parts of the brain don’t get the blood supply and oxygen they need, causing brain cells and tissues to become damaged and die
The parts of the body controlled by the damaged areas of the brain are affected and show signs of a stroke
The most common signs and symptoms of a stroke are: facial weakness, arm weakness, difficulty speaking
Other stroke symptoms that may occur include: weakness, numbness, or paralysis of the face, arm, or leg on one or both sides of the body, slurred speech or difficulty understanding, loss of vision in one or both eyes, sudden, severe headache or a change in headache pattern with no known cause, loss of balance, dizziness
The signs and symptoms of a stroke can occur individually or in combination. These can last a few seconds or even up to 24 hours and then disappear.
recognize a stroke
An easy way to recognize and remember the signs of a stroke is the FAST test. If anyone exhibits these symptoms, seek emergency medical attention immediately.
Face: Check whether the facial features, such as B. the mouth, hanging down.
Arms: Can you raise both arms?
Speaking: Do you have difficulty speaking, e.g. B. a slurred pronunciation? can they understand you
Time: Time is of the essence if you see any of the signs above. Call the emergency services immediately
SOURCE: Stroke Foundation