A young Gold Coast mum who recovered from locked in syndrome after a devastating brain stem stroke says her husband is her hero.
A fit and healthy 35-year-old, Ashlee De Cotta woke up one morning in November 2024 feeling dizzy and nauseated.
"I got up to go to the bathroom and was feeling really unwell. My 5-year-old daughter was asleep in her bed. My husband came home but I had lost my speech so I couldn't call out for help. He ended up finding me collapsed in the bathroom, so he called an ambulance," Ashlee said.
At hospital doctors discovered Ashlee had experienced a double vertebral artery dissection brain stem stroke. She was placed in a coma, and her family were told to prepare for the worst.
"Thankfully I did improve, and after three attempts to wake me over several weeks, I was left with locked in syndrome and pneumonia, I could only communicate with my eyes using an iPad," she said.
"The doctors say I had youth on my side, and thankfully, I woke up. But I didn't see my daughter for two months because I didn't want her to see me with my breathing tubes. My family are the real heroes. They stuck by me and never left my side."
Ashlee is sharing her story during National Stroke Week which runs from August 3 to 9. This year's theme is F.A.S.T. heroes and recognises the everyday people, like Ashlee's husband, Adam, who help save lives.
Stroke Foundation Chief Executive Officer, Dr Lisa Murphy, says everyone can be a hero by learning and sharing the F.A.S.T. message.
"You don't need a cape to be a hero, you just need to know the signs of stroke by learning the F.A.S.T. acronym and calling triple zero (000) when stroke strikes. It can save a life."
"F is for face- is their face drooping? A is for arms- can they lift both arms? S is for speech- is their speech slurred? And T is for time- time is critical. Call 000 immediately," Dr Murphy said.
"When a stroke strikes, it attacks up to 1.9 million brain cells per minute so there's absolutely no time to waste. You must act fast and call triple zero (000) for ambulance to help."
National Stroke Week is Stroke Foundation's annual awareness campaign. You can support the campaign by sharing or creating your own social media post on any platform. Learn and share the F.A.S.T. signs of stroke and call triple zero (000) straight away if you suspect a stroke.
National Stroke Week is proudly supported by Major Sponsors: EMVision, Wellumio, and Supporting Sponsors: AbbVie and Pure Australia.
