Surviving Stroke

Awareness and Hope for Women at Risk

by Robin Sewell

Dyan Haugen was living the dream. At 42 years old, this beautiful and vivacious former college professor was ecstatic about moving to Arizona to escape the harsh Minnesota winters and begin an exciting new chapter of her life with husband, Larry, and their seven- year-old son, Matt. She was healthy, enjoyed scuba diving, snowboarding, traveling and was looking forward to jumping headfirst into philanthropy in her new home state. In fact, she was so happy, she was even thinking of having another child. On a morning in August 2000, however, her fairytale looked as if it would not have a happy ending.

She was in her kitchen having a conversation with her stepson when, in mid-sentence, her words turned into garble. "I couldn't think clearly, I literally lost my ability to speak," Haugen recounts. It was a frightening and bewildering few minutes, but then everything seemed normal again. Haugen, like many people, decided to ignore the incident. The very next day during a meeting at her son's elementary school, it happened again. Yet this time, she couldn't utter an understandable word for 15 minutes. " I didn't know what was happening to me," she says. "These women were looking at me as if I was on drugs, and the woman next to me told me to immediately get to a doctor." This time, she did.

Her doctor told her she was simply experiencing migraines. However, when it happened again the next day, Haugen knew something was terribly wrong. This time, she went straight to the hospital. After a few weeks and an exhausting number of tests, Haugen, who was active, in shape and had no history of heart disease or neurological disorders, discovered she had a hole in her heart that was causing mini strokes. "It was a double whammy-heart disease and a stroke," Haugen says.

THE INVISIBLE KILLER

Haugen was diagnosed with Patent Foraman Ovale (PFO), a condition in which an opening between the right and left atria, the two upper chambers of the heart, fails to close after birth. In Haugen's case, undetectable blood clots were developing in veins in her legs or abdomen and passing through the hole, then traveling up into her brain causing transient mini strokes or TIAs.

According to Dr. Richard Heuser, director of cardiology at St. Luke's Medical Center, up to 25 percent of people have a PFO with no risks associated to the condition. Heuser adds, "Even though PFO poses no risks to the heart itself, there are other forms of heart disease that pre- dispose someone to heart attack and stroke." With no family history, Haugen felt she had no reason to suspect a stroke. Therefore, her best defense was recognizing the symptoms early and knowing how to react.

"Time is brain," says Dr. James Frey, founder of the Barrow Neurological Institute Stroke Program. "After five minutes of no blood flow, your brain cells die, so reaction time can save your life," he says. Dr. Frey and Haugen's surgeon, agree that, given her symptoms, she should not have waited a day or even an hour to contact medical help; she should have called 911 immediately. Her doctors consider her extremely lucky.

Haugen was prescribed a blood thinner called Coumadin and, a year later, underwent open heart surgery to close the hole. "I thought I was going to die," she says quietly. "I started putting my affairs in order." Surgery was successful but recovery was difficult. She was bedridden and in a lot of pain. The episode robbed her of a year out of her life-a year that changed her and put her on a path to educate other women about heart disease-the number one killer of women.

Haugen was one of the lucky ones. Not only did she survive, she managed to sidestep any permanent brain damage. Not every victim can claim this outcome.

It's a startling statistic but twice as many women die of stroke and heart disease than of all cancers for women, Dr. Frey reports. This is why leading cardiologists and neurologists such as Dr. Heuser and Dr. Frey are emphatic about becoming a partner in your own healthcare. What this means is understanding your risk factors, never ignoring your symptoms, always asking questions, getting second opinions and being your own health care advocate.

Haugen readily admits that if she had been more aware of the symptoms of stroke and heart disease, she would have saved herself and her family much misery and frustration. Haugen has since joined the Heart Ball committee. It's both a personal passion and a platform to reach out to as many women as possible. "I want all women to learn the warning signs of heart attacks and stroke and not ignore them," she says. "We can't assume that since we are young women, it can't happen to us, and I am a perfect example of this."

ARE YOU AT RISK FOR HEART DISEASE?

• Smoker
• High Blood Pressure
• High Cholesterol
• Overweight
• Diabetes
• Lack of Exercise
• Family History of Heart Disease
• Migraines
• Hormone Replacement
• (Source: American Heart Association)

THE MISSION

Since 1959, Phoenix Heart Ball has raised millions of dollars to support the American Heart Association's lifesaving efforts. These dollars go to fund groundbreaking research and educational programs not only for women but also for men and children. The programs are numerous and focused, and the goal is but one: save your life, my life and the lives of those we love.

Inspired and clearly on a mission, it seems fortuitous that Haugen would meet and become friends with Nan Howlett, this year's Heart Ball Chairman. Howlett was so touched by Haugen's story that she not only asked her to join the committee but also asked her to share her experience with the 108 committee members who attended this year's kickoff breakfast. "Dyan is so young and so fit that it was just incredible to me that she had suffered from such a serious incident, and given that I am a runner, it really hit home," Howlett says.

But it was Haugen's steadfast perseverance and unwavering determination that convinced Howlett that this was a woman who could and would convince other women to take their health seriously. "She seemed invincible and her work ethic was as strong as her spirit," Howlett says. In addition, Howlett chose the topic, "educating women about heart disease" as the focus of this year's ball. "I love my women friends, they are my family, but they are so busy taking care of everyone else that they often neglect themselves," Howlett says. "And I just don't think there is enough awareness out there about women and heart disease."

"Love" and "life" just happen to be the two words Haugen keeps repeating as she vividly describes her journey over the past eight years. "I appreciate my husband and son so much," she says. "I never take life for granted and I follow my passions."

One of those passions was spending a year in culinary school-something she says she would never have done before the surgery. "It was the best year of my life," Haugen says. She knows she got a second chance, and her second chance is something she never takes for granted and it is the reason she wants all women to get her message. Then, like Haugen, you too can follow your passions with every beat of your heart.

SIGNS OF STROKE:

• Loss of Speech
• Weakness on One Side of Body
• Numbness on One Side of Body
• Vision Impairment
• Vertigo
• Vomiting
• Imbalance
• Severe Headache
• (Source: American Heart Association)

Robin Sewell is Owner and Founder of Robin Sewell Productions, which has the sole television broadcasting rights to the internationally renowned magazine, Arizona Highways. Sewell was also a television reporter and anchor in Florida, San Diego, Seattle, Sacramento and Phoenix at KNXV-ABC15.

2008 Phoenix Heart Ball
49th Anniversary Dinner & Dancing Black Tie & Gown Event
Proceeds benefit the American Heart Association

Date: Saturday, November 22
Time: 6:30 p.m. Cocktails 7:30 p.m.

Dinner & Dancing Location:
The Arizona Biltmore
2400 East Missouri Ave
Phoenix, AZ 85016

For more information: PhoenixHeartBall.org

Women's Wellness Luncheon
A.T. Still University presents Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor's "How to Get your Brain to Do What You Want it To Do"

Date: Tuesday, November 18
Cost: $75 per person Location: Hilton Scottsdale Resort & Villas
6333 North Scottsdale Road
Scottsdale, AZ
For more information: 480.219.6139