A woman is lucky to be alive after she suffered a stroke while asleep. Thankfully her husband spotted the warning signs.
Catherine Fahey, 34, was in bed when the emergency struck, but fortunately, her husband, Kyle Fahey, was able to identify that something was seriously wrong with his wife.
Giving her a fireman's lift over his shoulder, Kyle rushed her to the nearest hospital.
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The red flag symptom that alerted him of a stroke was Catherine's drooping mouth.
Kyle had woken his wife to let her know the kids were in bed but suddenly spotted that her mouth had sagged on the left side.
After waking his wife, Kyle noticed that her speech was slurred.
He acted quickly and took Catherine to Lincoln County Hospital's A&E after being told an ambulance would take two hours.
Doctors confirmed that Catherine was having a stroke and administered her medication called alteplase.
The good news is that she has made a miraculous recovery.
Catherine told Lincolnshire Live: "Kyle absolutely saved my life.
"It's just amazing how he knew. We've been together since we were 19 and married at 21, so I feel like he just knows me so well.
"If it had been anyone else around me, they wouldn't have known the way Kyle did. It means the world what he did for me."
The night of the event, she was at home watching a film with children Alfie, 14, and Bella, 11.
She said: "We'd been downstairs in the living room watching The Lion King with the kids. I went up to bed, and Kyle followed me not long after.
"I'd already been up to go to the bathroom once, and I felt fine.
"He turned the light on and started talking to me, just to tell me both the kids were in bed. He asked if I was OK, but as soon as I replied, he definitely knew something was wrong.
"I had absolutely no idea, in my head, I thought I was talking and acting fine, but I wasn't."
Fortunately, Catherine has made a speedy recovery, but she has to take cholesterol medication and blood thinners for the rest of her life.
What are the key symptoms of a stroke?
The main stroke symptoms can be remembered by the word FAST:
- Face – the face may have dropped on one side, or the person may not be able to smile, or their mouth or eye may have drooped.
- Arms – the person may not be able to lift their arms and keep them there because of weakness or numbness in one arm.
- Speech – their speech may become slurred or garbled, or the person may not be able to talk despite appearing to be awake; they may also have difficulty understanding what you're saying.
- Time – it's time to dial 999 immediately if you notice any of these signs or symptoms.
If you think you or someone else is having a stroke, you need to phone 999 "immediately" and ask for an ambulance, according to the health service.
"The sooner a person receives treatment for a stroke, the less damage is likely to happen," it adds.
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