Nine days after a Maryland woman gave birth to a healthy baby girl, her world changed.
After an uneventful pregnancy, Erin Adelekun had a life-threatening postpartum stroke so sudden and severe that a neurosurgeon had to remove a large piece of her skull to save her life.
Doreen Gentzler, who retired from News4 in 2022 after 33 years, spoke with Adelekun about her recovery, her inspiring story and how she’s trying to help others.
A headache was Adelekun’s first sign that she was having a stroke. It started before she even left the hospital with her newborn in August 2020.
“I had a headache when I was discharged. Eight days later, I had another headache, but it was worse. I took Tylenol. I thought it was because I wasn’t sleeping. I was a new mom,” she said.
She was unconscious for almost a month after a neurosurgeon removed a part of her skull to relieve pressure.
Finally waking up in the hospital during the COVID-19 pandemic was surreal.
“Whenever someone came to my room, they had to put on, like, a hazmat suit to enter. And I’m like, what is this? I was alone. My neck was fine, but all of the rest of my body was completely paralyzed. It was scary,” she said.
Adelekun was especially eager to recover because she wanted to go home and bond with her daughter.
“I wanted to be there for her. I knew that my family needed me,” she said.
As she recovered in a rehab hospital for two months, she had a lot to relearn.
“Just like a baby, I had to relearn everything I had to. Walking, getting dressed with one hand. Some words, easy words, I couldn’t say,” she said.
Finally being able to go home and hold her daughter was amazing, she said.
“My mom handed me Adenike and instantly she stopped crying. I was just like, oh my goodness, she remembers me! It Melted my heart, but I was like, I’m home,” she said.
Adelekun started her Instagram account, Stroke Mama, to try to help others.
“I started Stroke Momma to record my journey and inspire other people that, though it’s hard, keep doing it because it’s going to get better. It’s been five years and though I’m not making strides, you know, as quickly as I was the first year, I’m still making strides,” she said.
She said she’s committed to continuing to recover and thrive.
“I will never give up. My faith keeps me motivated. My family keeps me motivated. I didn’t want my daughter and all of my children to think ‘stroke got the best of their mom,’ you know? I wanted to overcome stroke,” she said.
Here’s what to know about strokes, especially around childbirth
Adelekun was unaware of her stroke risk. She wants other women to know that in the three months before and after giving birth, the risk of having a stroke can triple.
Knowing the signs of a stroke can save lives. Adelekun knew this and got treatment quickly. Remember the acronym FAST:
- face drooping
- arm weakness
- speech difficulty
- time to call 911
To learn more about Adelekun’s journey, read Gentzler’s story in this month’s Washingtonian magazine.
Get the D.C. area’s top news and weather delivered to your inbox every morning. Sign up for First & 4Most, our free newsletter.
from Local – NBC4 Washington https://ift.tt/5i3xDwL
0 Comments