Tuesday, February 11, 2025
35.4 F
Roseville

Managing a Stroke

It wasn’t the best of days for Mark Mace, of Mankato, Minnesota. One morning in 2005, he awoke to start his usual bathroom routine and on the way in fell down. Then he rose and fell a second time. The third time, he couldn’t get up.

“I didn’t know what was happening,” said 51-year-old Mace in a telephone interview. “So I yelled for someone to call 911. I couldn’t move my whole left side, so I knew it wasn’t just my arm being asleep. I prayed out loud, ‘I don’t know what’s going on, Lord, but you will have to help me through this.'”

Doctors determined Mace had a hemorrhagic stroke. A National Institutes of Health website says a stroke occurs “when the blood supply to part of the brain is suddenly interrupted or when a blood vessel in the brain bursts.” Symptoms can include sudden numbness or weakness, sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding spoken words, or sudden trouble seeing, walking, or having a severe headache.

“It affected me because I went from not depending on anyone to having to depend on others for about everything,” he said. “Today, I need help in cooking, bathing, and housework. I have a personal care attendant who comes in weekdays. I can do a few things still, such as use the stove and take food out of the oven. My right side functions well, so that helps.”

He lives with his small dog, Jackie Chan, who provides comfort and is a “great sounding board,” he said.

Emotionally, he struggles most with having to be patient. When accidentally dropping an object on the floor, for instance, he can pick it up only after a great deal of effort. He also has to show patience when trying to negotiate Wal-Mart aisles in his electric wheelchair and other customers fail to respond to his polite requests to move aside so he can wheel past. Sometimes he has to ask three or four times.

Another challenge occurs during snowy winter months when businesses and homeowners neglect to shovel their sidewalks in a timely fashion. One time, his wheelchair was stuck in slippery snow for 20 minutes in 20-degree weather before a goodhearted motorist on a busy street stopped to help.

As for advice for people experiencing a stroke, he kept it simple: “Follow through with what your doctor says and keep active.”



Brighter Side

Trending

Job Opening: Sr. Manager, Data Management

5 yrs exp. design, modify, dvlp., write & implement software programming apps & code software. BS deg req’d.

LA-Z-Boy Home Furnishings & Décor in Roseville

Transform your living room and bedroom with La-Z-Boy's comfortable home furniture. Shop for sofas, couches, recliners, chairs, tables, mattress in a box, and more today.

Roseville Pleasant Grove Creek Trail closure for critical repairs

Roseville, Calif. - The trail crossing over Pleasant Grove Creek is closed for critical repairs between Old Coach Drive/Phillips Park and the Orchard View Road trailhead parking lot.

RG Philips Park in Roseville

RG Philips Park "This 6.5 acre park features a children’s...

Roseville welcomes US Quadball West Coast National Qualifier to Maidu Park

Roseville, Calif. - Quadball, an action-packed sport that evolved from the Harry Potter novels, will hold its only West Coast national qualifier Saturday, Feb. 8, and Sunday, Feb. 9 at Maidu Regional Park in Roseville.

Topics

Job Opening: Sr. Manager, Data Management

5 yrs exp. design, modify, dvlp., write & implement software programming apps & code software. BS deg req’d.

LA-Z-Boy Home Furnishings & Décor in Roseville

Transform your living room and bedroom with La-Z-Boy's comfortable home furniture. Shop for sofas, couches, recliners, chairs, tables, mattress in a box, and more today.

Roseville Pleasant Grove Creek Trail closure for critical repairs

Roseville, Calif. - The trail crossing over Pleasant Grove Creek is closed for critical repairs between Old Coach Drive/Phillips Park and the Orchard View Road trailhead parking lot.

RG Philips Park in Roseville

RG Philips Park "This 6.5 acre park features a children’s...

Roseville welcomes US Quadball West Coast National Qualifier to Maidu Park

Roseville, Calif. - Quadball, an action-packed sport that evolved from the Harry Potter novels, will hold its only West Coast national qualifier Saturday, Feb. 8, and Sunday, Feb. 9 at Maidu Regional Park in Roseville.

The Crepe Stop in Roseville

The Crepe Stop in Roseville. Savory & Sweet. Crepes, Pancakes, Waffles, Gelato, Boba Tea.

Roseville Today Super Bowl party picks for Eagles and Chiefs game

Roseville, Calif.- This Sunday at the Superdome in New Orleans, the Philadelphia take on the Chiefs in Super Bowl 59. A super-sized rematch and unofficial national holiday of $8 million dollar commercials, food and drink and a little football.

Quarry Oaks Apartments in Rocklin

Quarry Oaks Apartments in Rocklin, Calif.

Related Articles

Local Spotlight

Paul Black’s Window Cleaning serving Roseville and South Placer County for over 30 years

Paul Black’s Window Cleaning Inc. has been serving Placer County’s commercial and residential window cleaning needs since 1990.

Roseville Sheet Metal serving community’s heating and air needs for over 70 years

Roseville, Calif. - At Roseville Sheet Metal, we’re proud of our years of service to the Roseville area and look forward to helping you with your air conditioning and heating needs.

Mobley Pest Services in Roseville serving the community and region for over 20 years

Roseville, Calif.- Fully licensed and bonded, Mobley Pest Services in Roseville has been providing reliable pest control services for well over 20 years. Serving residents and businesses in the greater Placer and Sacramento region, Mobley Pest Services is locally owned and operated in Roseville.