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Last week, 90210 and Riverdale actor, Luke Perry, suffered a massive stroke. Today he passed away. He was 52 years young.
That’s right, I said young. Fifty-two is not old. He wasn’t elderly. Sure, if you’re reading this and under 30, you might think 52 is over-the-hill. I guarantee you when you turn 52, you’ll have a different definition of what “old” is.
Although I was never a big 90210 fan, I am the same age as Luke. I’m 52. The thought of having a massive stroke and dying at this age is scary AF! I’m not gonna lie, and pardon my language, but yeah!
Every year, approximately 140,000 people die from strokes in the United States. It’s the fifth leading cause of death for Americans. 1 out of every 20 deaths is the result of a stroke. Someone in the United States has a stroke every 40 seconds. Every 4 minutes, someone dies of a stroke. Every year, more than 795,000 people in the United States suffers a stroke.
What is a stroke
According to the Center for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), strokes occur when blood supply to the brain becomes blocked by either a clot (ischemic stroke), or when blood vessels in the brain burst (hemorrhagic stroke).
Strokes can occur to anyone, at any age, but there are several factors that can increase a person’s risk for having a stroke. Folks who smoke, drink alcohol, live sedentary lifestyles, have high cholesterol, high blood pressure, or diabetes, are all at a greater risk of suffering a stroke. Maintaining a healthy weight & remaining (or becoming) physically active can help prevent your chances of suffering a stroke.
Strokes can be particularly dangerous for middle-age adults. There is brain swelling after every stroke. “The immediate time after stroke is the most deadly for someone who is young,” said Salman Azhar, director of stroke care at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City. “That’s because their brains have not yet shrunk, as they do in older adults. There is often times no space in the brain for the swelling to happen. That in and of itself can make these strokes more fatal in the young.”
FYI: African-Americans’ risk for stroke is nearly twice as high as Caucasians. African-Americans have the highest death rate from stroke. Getting immediate medical attention is vital.
What are symptoms of a stroke
The American Stroke Association advises people to remember the acronym F.A.S.T:
F- Facial drooping or numbness. If a person experiences facial weakness or numbing, it can be detected by asking them to smile & looking for any unevenness.
A- Arm weakness or numbness. A person suffering a stroke may feel a general sense of weakness or numbness in their arms. Ask them to raise both their arms up, to spot any differences.
S- Slurred speech. During a stroke, a person may slur their speech or find it difficult to speak. Words may sound like gibberish or speech may be slowed. Ask the person to repeat a sentence several times & call for medical help, even if their speech suddenly returns to normal.
T- Time to call 911. Call for medical attention immediately if a person experiences one or more of the major stroke symptoms.
In addition to the symptoms listed above; someone having a stroke may experience sudden vision problems, difficulty walking, or understanding conversations. Severe headache, dizziness, loss of balance and/or coordination, are all signals that a person may be having a stroke. You should seek immediate medical attention.
It’s time for all of us over 50 to get serious about our health. Yes, it’s hard to get started exercising and eating healthy. Yes, it sucks when we can’t eat cake, and drink soda. But you know what? I don’t wanna be a statistic. I don’t wanna die young. So I’m gonna do the hard stuff. I’m gonna do what it takes to lessen my chances of having a stroke. I’m gonna eat the veggies, and baked chicken. I’m gonna move my ass in the gym. And I’m gonna change my lifestyle. It’s not enough to get started, we have to stick to it. It must become a way of life for us. No more back-sliding!
You only get so many wakeup calls before you become someone else’s wakeup call.
Rest In Peace, Luke.
