CARBONDALE (WSIL)--In 2017, Rich Davis from Carterville, Illinois had just finished a meeting when he began to feel strange.
"That's all I can really say: something wasn't right. I didn't what was going on, I didn't know if I started having trouble speaking because I was by myself, but what I can say is that by the time I got to the hospital, my speech was slurred and I couldn't open the door to my truck," Davis recalled.
Davis was having a stroke, even though he seemed to be in perfect health.
"A stroke is a clinical type of condition and it means a sudden onset of loss of one part of the brain function," said Dr. Andrea Loggini, a neurologist from SIH's Brain and Spine Institute.Â
Having a stroke is the 5th leading cause of death and a leading cause of disability in the U.S.
Luckily, Davis received treatment rather quickly but his stroke left permanent damage.
"The only thing that's not working for me now, but I wish it was, is my left hand. So my left hand has a very sensitive feeling to it but it has not come back. I can feel it all the way here but then it goes away here, at the end of my hand," said Davis.Â
Dr. Loggini said you should remember to 'BE FAST' when checking for signs of a stroke.
Check your Balance, your Eyes or vision, Facial drooping, Arm weakness, Speech difficulty, and lastly Time. Make sure to call 9-1-1 quickly.
And Davis said if you do have a stroke, work on getting back on your feet as soon as you can.
"Get started right away. Take serious thought into the rehab. There's a great group of people in the rehab center in Herrin. They were so good to me and helping me through the process, but getting started right away is key," said Davis.Â
