In early 2018, Anna and Ryan were a young, happy couple with there life just blossoming. They didn’t know that Ryan had a rare condition that would lead to him suffering a stroke, but through faith, positive thinking and humor they overcame and are now advocating for other stroke survivors suffering Aphasia/Apraxia. Ryan is The NeuroNerds Patreon Donation Spotlight for this January and we are celebrating and supporting him by sharing his story below and donating a portion of our Patreon proceeds to support his final surgery and recovery. Details on how to support him at the end of this post. Now read on and be inspired by Ryan and Anna’s recovery journey!
Hi, my name is Anna and my husband, Ryan, had a stroke at the age of 34.
January 2018, Ryan and I were recovering from the flu like many across the nation. Life was good. I was about to start a new job and we were trucking along like a normal couple in our 30’s. Little did I know that just weeks after celebrating the new year, our lives would change forever.
What we didn’t know is that Ryan has a rare condition called eagle syndrome. Doctors think he’s had this condition all his life. Eagle syndrome is when a person’s styloid bones (between the jaw and ear) are so long that they overlap their carotid arteries. I suppose the flu, along with coughing, was the straw that broke the camel’s back. It triggered a series of events. Both his arteries dissected which caused a blood clot that went to his brain.
The night of February 6, 2018 was a blur. By the grace of God, Ryan fell out of bed which startled me awake. I, being 33, didn’t know anything about F.A.S.T. at the time. At first, I didn’t know what was happening, only that I needed to call 911 as I could tell something was drastically wrong with my sweet husband.
I remember the ambulance ride well. The smell of the night air and the uncertainty of what was to come. As we arrived at the hospital, I remember crying uncontrollably as the EMT’s, nurses and doctors tried to explain to me what had happened to my love. The next week was an utter nightmare, peppered with close calls and miracles that can only be described as divine intervention.
One of which, was three days after Ryan’s stroke. Ryan’s two carotid arteries were blocked and after several attempts, doctors were not able to open them back up. This was a huge problem. Since the arteries were closed, more damage was occurring every day due to the lack of blood and oxygen to the brain. I remember the night our doctor came into the ICU unit and told us we had to get Ryan into surgery right away for one more “last ditch” effort to save him or he would essentially become a vegetable from the damage that was spreading throughout his brain. A team of doctors escorted me downstairs to a room for surgery. I was asked to sign papers giving consent for the procedure. In the hallway, I remember looking at one of the doctors with tears flowing down my face and asking him to please save my husband, he’s all I have.
The procedure was said to have less than 4% odds of success and even if they could get a stint in, there were still life threatening complications that could come from it. Before they started the procedure, I went in one more time to kiss my sweet love, not knowing if it would be the last. I looked at the doctor with fear in my eyes and all he said was, “just pray.” I somehow made it back to the waiting room where I waited with family and friends. I cried and prayed for miracles, rocking back and forth like a crazy person. I remember pleading with God to save Ryan. He’s tooyoung… We are too young for this to be happening. Why is this happening?! I prayed and prayed, but my mind still wandered into dark places. Only then did I ask God for a sign. I needed a sign that he was going to be ok. Not five minutes later, in a waiting room that was only occupied by our family, a woman came into the room. She looked me dead in the eyes and said, “I know your pain. I lost my brother today. I feel led by God to tell you to be strong. Everything will be ok. God is in control.” That was the sign I needed. In a waiting room, late on a Friday night, two strangers were brought together to give one another hope. What a beautiful gift! We shared our faith, hugged and I never saw her again. Moments later, our doctor came in to tell us that Ryan’s artery opened on its own. They couldn’t explain it, but at least one was open and that would be enough to allow him to recover without any further brain damage. How wonderful that God would perform a miracle like this?! I’m here to tell you that God CAN do immeasurably more than we can ever ask or imagine.
Ryan was in the ICU for almost a month before he was released to another in-patient facility where he started PT, OT and Speech. I call this time my zombie period. I’m sure all caregivers can relate to this as you switch into survival mode. They say in hard times, you really get to know yourself and what you’re made of. Boy is that the truth! I surprised myself in many ways during this time. It wasn’t easy but I made it through with the help of our loved ones. I ended up having to forfeit my new job to find something more flexible so I could take the lead managing our household and to keep up with Ryan’s demanding therapy schedule.
I believe everyone has different experiences as a caregiver but for me, I found peace in family, friends and my faith. Keeping hope alive in times of turmoil can be the hardest thing you’ll ever do in your life, but I truly believe it’s the key to progress. Without hope, you lose the will to get out of bed in the morning. You lose the will to be positive around those who need you the most. It’s the glue that holds you together while you make your way through this new life.
Along with hope, humor has helped us stay sane throughout our journey. Ryan and I always laughed a lot as a couple prior to his stroke, but found comfort when we could laugh together after, even when we found out that Ryan suffered from Aphasia/Apraxia. We keep humor present in our lives and we try not to take ourselves too seriously. We laugh and have fun with some of the speech exercises because let’s be honest, they kind of set you up for it.
Fast forward almost 11 months later and Ryan has made tremendous gains. While his physical appearance is mostly normal, his right hand is still spastic and he still struggles greatly with his speech and comprehension. One of the most surprising things we’ve learned through our journey is the lack of resources available for those with Aphasia and the lack of support from insurance companies for continued care. I’ve written countless letters to government officials about this and I encourage others to do so as well to help start a movement for change. Everyone deserves a chance to be 100% again.
I wanted to share a few things that have worked for us, keeping in mind, everyone’s stroke journey is different. For those with Aphasia, we’ve found great success with UMAP (an intensive aphasia specific program in Michigan), but it’s pricey. There’s also countless apps available from Tactus and Lingraphica that can help. Purchasing an iPad was the best thing we ever did for recovery. We’ve also taken advantage of speech therapy through universities in our area. It’s great therapy for a fraction of the cost.
For spasticity, Ryan’s had Botox every three months for a while now. It can be quite expensive depending on insurance. However, Botox has a savings program where you can submit your claim online and they will reimburse up to $1,000. You can submit claims up to 4 times a year which helps tremendously over time. Not many know about this program so I thought I’d share in hopes to get the word out there.
We’ve also been implementing certain foods that help brain function such as blueberries, broccoli, celery and avocado. Ryan takes CoQ10 and turmeric as well. It can be a little daunting to keep up with the latest and greatest therapies, but we do our best. I still pray daily for more miracles concerning Ryan’s speech and physical recovery. I’ve always felt like there will be a breakthrough in God’s good timing, but until then, we will keep pressing forward.
Ryan and I hope our story can help those in similar situations stay motivated and inspire them to keep fighting when it comes to stroke recovery and Aphasia/Apraxia awareness. Be patient, keep hope, and find the beauty in your everyday journey. You are stronger than you think and you WILL make it through this.
Much love,
The Teal Family
To continue to follow the Ryan and Anna’s journey at @annamteal on Instagram. Support Ryan’s recovery through TheNeuroNerds’ Patreon during the month of January and a portion of the proceeds will go towards his GoFundMe! You can also support his GoFundMe directly HERE. Connect with Anna, Ryan and more stroke and brain injury survivors and caregivers on the YouSoRock Facebook Support Group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/yousorock.
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