34-year-old Fresno stroke survivor shares message: 'It can happen to anybody'

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Reiko Rushing is on a mission as she shares her story and educates the community about strokes.

"It can happen to anybody, and it may not present how you think it's going to present," Rushing told Action News on Wednesday.

She knows from experience.

"All of a sudden, I just didn't feel great," she said. "You get this overwhelming feeling that something just is off."

Rushing turned off the lights and sat in her office on March 4. She first thought she had a bad migraine, but other symptoms quickly set in.

"My neck and my back just really started to hurt more and more," Rushing said. "I had a headache. My ear felt like it really needed to pop, so I kept wanting to yawn or chew gum -- something to help relieve that sensation."

She went to urgent care and eventually the hospital. At just 34 years old, doctors say Rushing suffered a stroke.

"I had a small bleed in my brain, so ultimately, I had a ruptured aneurysm," Rushing said.

Her message comes as Fresno's Community Regional Medical Center marked stroke awareness month on Wednesday. Registered nurse Joyce Eden manages the hospital's stroke program.

"In today's world, if you know the symptoms of stroke, then you can intervene and get the help that you need," Eden said.

She said you should know the BE FAST acronym: balance, eyes, face, arm, speech, and time.

"If you have anything that falls under the BE FAST acronym, we ask you just to call 911. The sooner you get to us and the sooner we can intervene, the more brain cells we can save."

Rushing says she is still recovering but told me it could have been much worse if she had not gone to the hospital when she did. She now hopes more people recognize the warning signs and listen to their bodies.

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