February is American Heart Month, and the American Heart Association is using its Go Red for Women initiative to increase women’s heart health awareness. RTV6 has partnered with the AHA to give you the information you need to take charge of your heart health all month long. To learn more about Go Red for Women, visit goredforwomen.org, or visit theINDYchannel.com/gored for more of our coverage.
INDIANAPOLIS — February is American Heart month and RTV6 is partnering with the Go Red for Women campaign sponsored by the American Heart Association.
This month we are highlighting women who have overcome health obstacles and are now living heart healthy lifestyles.
One woman we spoke with survived not one but two strokes before her 30th birthday.
“I was 29 and that's when I had my first stroke," said Nicole Murray.
She told me she had been feeling sick for about a week as and she was getting ready for work she realized her mouth was numb and she couldn't talk.
"I was just alone at home and I didn't know what to do. So, I just called my mom, but I just cried that's all I could do, and she knew something was wrong, so she came and got me, and she took me to the ER," said Murray.
She said when she was at the hospital the doctors said she was too young to have a stroke, but an MRI confirmed that's exactly what it was.
My recovery started with speech therapy and I had to relearn how to talk, going through therapy in the first three months my therapist said hey we think you are probably good, but you are going backwards. You aren't getting better. You are getting worse," said Murray.
An MRI once again confirmed Murray had a second stroke within three months of her first. She said the road to a full recovery is a long one.
"I’m still in recovery. It's been five years since I’ve had my stroke and every day is a process every day is a struggle, but every day is also a success because here I am, I’m still working through it"
This year Murray is being recognized nationally.
"I was selected to be one of the nine ladies for the national campaign go red for women along with the American Heart Association,” said Murray.
Last week she went to New York where she was pampered with hair, makeup, new clothes and the ability to talk about her journey.
“It’s an honor to be able to tell my story so that somebody will know what to do in the event that maybe they have a stroke or maybe they have a heart attack," said Murray.
She says the message she wants to send to anyone recovering from a stroke is this.
"IT might be a struggle but there is light at the end of the tunnel," said Murray.
Murray said it’s important to know the warning signs of a stroke. She said use the acronym F.A.S.T. as a remind.
F - face droopiness
A - Arm weakness
S - Slurred Speech
T - Time to call 9-1-1
