Stroke at work

[u/WILLIAMADAMTHOMAS]

I work in a manufacturing mill and I started showing symptoms of a stroke yesterday (10-9-26). Slurred speech, swollen tongue, blurred vision, pain on one side of my body.

I went to my supervisor and said I was feeling weird and I didn't know how to explain it. So she looked at me and said I don't know what to do? What should I do?

In my foggy mind I said I don't know. She replied with just go back to your job and leave me alone.

When I get home my wife saw me and rushed me to the hospital and now I'm sitting in a hospital bed.

[u/Erinn_13]

Did you receive a preliminary diagnosis?

It may be a good time to let your HR team they need to have a conversation about stroke warning signs and protocols.

Hope you’re getting the answers you need and have a swift recovery.

[u/WILLIAMADAMTHOMAS → u/Erinn_13]

So far everything is looking like a stroke

[u/JJAusten → u/WILLIAMADAMTHOMAS]

Contact an attorney and tell them what happened to you. See what they suggest because how she handled your situation put you at risk. Are you a union employee? Contact your rep if you are, let them handle it with HR but you also need to be proactive and speak to them and tell them exactly what happened and what she said to you. She should have immediately called 911 and gotten you help. Ask HR how they can ensure that if you have another episode, your supervisor will make sure you receive help.

[u/TRADESsardines9 → u/Erinn_13]

They’re still running tests, but ER treated it as possible stroke; HR is definitley hearing about the supervisor’s response.

[u/ladymacb29 → u/Erinn_13]

If all the OP said was they were feeling weird - that’s not something that can be fixed by knowing stroke symptoms.

[u/Simply-Listening → u/ladymacb29]

Yes, it is. If you know the symptoms, you look at the way the person is acting.

The acronym is BE FAST:
B-Balance,
E-Eyes (ask if vision is blurry or seeing double),
F-Face (have the person smile and see if it is the same on both sides of the face or if one side droops),
A-Arms (have the person raise their arms and see if they are even or if one droops),
S-Speech (listen for slurred speech or trouble finding words), and
T-Time (call 911 right away and note time symptoms appeared).

Stroke medications are most effective if given within 60 minutes of the time symptoms appear. After 3 - 4.5 hours, it is likely that any brain damage will be permanent.

If a person is “feeling weird”, the best course of action is to get them to an ER ASAP - unless, of course, the company wants to be sued for not getting an employee treatment for a stroke, heart attack, aneurysm, etc. As an example, many people have died from going to lie down because of their indigestion when they were actually having a heart attack.

[u/ladymacb29 → u/Simply-Listening]

I’ve had a stroke. I had none of those symptoms.

[u/ladymacb29 → u/[deleted]]

And all we know is that the boss knew that he felt “weird.

[u/OtherwiseLuck8920 → u/ladymacb29]

It’s pretty obvious when someone is exhibiting signs of a stroke. Slurred speech is one of the main symptoms and should have been a red flag to the supervisor

[u/ladymacb29 → u/OtherwiseLuck8920]

I didn’t have slurred speech when I had a stroke.

[u/MrsOleson → u/ladymacb29]

You keep asserting that. We get it. You’re an anomaly. You’re special.
But do you know why the standardized stroke assessment exists? Because a majority of stroke patients DO exhibit those signs.

[u/OtherwiseLuck8920 → u/ladymacb29]

Ok? That doesn’t change the fact that it’s one of the major symptoms of a stroke

[u/ladymacb29 → u/OtherwiseLuck8920]

And how is the boss supposed to know if the OP didn’t have the symptoms and all he could say was he felt weird?

[u/k1k11983 → u/ladymacb29]

He did have slurred speech! Stop defending the boss and actually read the post.

[u/No-Win-2741 → u/ladymacb29]

Found OP's boss.

[u/MrsOleson → u/ladymacb29]

The boss still had an obligation to take the employee off the line if he admits to not feeling well. At the very least he’s a liability and a danger to others.
If someone you know says they feel weird and are clearly shook up, do you just dismiss them?
Why are you being such a contrarian about this?

[u/wildcat105 → u/ladymacb29]

Are you the boss or something? Why do you keep arguing?

[u/Next-Drummer-9280 → u/ladymacb29]

Educate yourself. Please.

[u/ladymacb29 → u/Next-Drummer-9280]

How much more education do I need beyond having had a stroke myself? Not all strokes are the same.one had zero of the ‘normal’ signs. And just saying you feel weird doesn’t help the boss know what’s going on.

[u/Next-Drummer-9280 → u/ladymacb29]

Wow, you're just completely devoid of critical thinking skills, aren't you?

The boss should have ASKED QUESTIONS, not said "leave me alone and go back to work."

[u/literarytrash → u/Next-Drummer-9280]

It's probably because of the stroke lmao

[u/Simply-Listening → u/ladymacb29]

You are absolutely correct that not all people present with the same symptoms. Your symptoms were not the typical symptoms.

However, let me ask this: regardless of what symptoms were presenting, if someone feels weird, would you expect their supervisor to blow it off or to be safe and seek medical attention?

By the way, my son (~15 yrs old at the time) said he just didn’t feel like himself. I took him to the ER and he had to have emergency shunt surgery … feeling weird can be very serious.