PAH patient Tien Vo is one of the lucky ones – a young, healthy father of two who suffered a stroke earlier this year and has made a full recovery thanks to his incredible PAH treating team.
But it’s not just the quick thinking of his seven year-old daughter, the fast response of the ambulance staff, or the immediate action of PAH clinicians that saved his life, it’s the fact that Tien recognised the signs of a stroke early.
Tien recalls the April evening was just like any other - he’d been reading something on his laptop just after dinner, with his daughter in the other room. His brother-in-law would soon be home, meanwhile his wife had taken their two year-old son to the Children’s Hospital ED.
“I felt a sharp pain in my head, and thought I better go get some water – but when I got up I felt weak and started dribbling, and I thought to myself ‘I think I’m having a stroke,” the 34 year-old scientist said.
“My daughter saw me fall over and she grabbed a pillow, a blanket and the phone and went to dial 000, with my brother-in-law arriving home at this time and together they told the operators what had happened, and that’s pretty much all I can remember.”
Tien, who had no warning signs or pre-existing health issues that could have pre-empted the stroke, said he’s still made some small changes to his work schedule and diet to prevent it happening again.
“I’ve been eating better, and before I was on a 24-hour roster but now I’m making sure I get my eight hours sleep a night,” he said.
“I’m still having check ups as they try to determine the cause, but I’m on some medication to prevent plaque and clots.
“The key thing here is that education is so important – I knew what it was and it wasn’t a normal headache, and quick action will get you a better outcome.”