Harold Turner isn’t back to his old self yet. But he’s getting there.

After suffering three strokes more than a year ago, Turner found even the simplest of tasks posed a challenge.

“Just raising my head off the pillow and getting out of bed was difficult,” said Turner. “It’s amazing what you take for granted.”

After just a few weeks at Baptist Rehab Center, Turner has regained some use in his arms and legs. Physical therapist Tony Bohannon said his progress is remarkable.

“When Mr. Turner first arrived, he was unable to do much more than take a few steps with a lot of help from his wife,” said Bohannon. “Through intensive therapy and individual commitment, he’s regaining strength and making strides toward walking again.”

That’s the goal, Turner said. “I want to walk again.”

Stroke Strikes Every 45 Seconds

Turner isn’t alone in his struggle to reverse the damaging effects of stroke. The American Heart Association states that someone suffers a stroke in this country about every 45 seconds. In fact, stroke is now the third-leading cause of death in the U.S., after heart disease and cancer. Kentucky, in particular, is known to have a high incidence of stroke. A study by the Centers for Disease Control in 2002 ranked Kentucky eighth in stroke-related deaths.

Facts like those motivated the University of Louisville and the Kentucky Department of Public Health to collaborate on a statewide stroke awareness and prevention campaign. Dr. Kerri Remmel, University of Louisville neurology professor, visited Western Baptist Hospital recently to deliver the group’s simple motto: “Time saved is brain saved.”

Stroke Symptoms

“The sooner people get help, the better,” said Western Baptist neurologist Van Woeltz, M.D., “even if it’s a minor stroke.”

Woeltz said knowing risk factors—high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, smoking or a family history of strokes—is important. Recognizing symptoms is even more important. They can include:

• Sudden, severe headache with no known cause.
• Sudden weakness or numbness in the face or limbs.
• Sudden dimming or loss of vision, particularly in one eye.
• Sudden difficulty speaking or understanding speech.
• Unexplained dizziness, unsteadiness or sudden falls.

Woeltz said that with quick action, proper care and rehabilitation efforts, a person’s chance for recovery is maximized.

Just ask Harold Turner. With a determined spirit, supportive family and dedicated health care professionals, his recovery is within reach.