A month before my stroke, my body began to warn me. These were the first symptoms.

We rush around everywhere: work, family, responsibilities… and often put our health on the back burner. However, our body tries to warn us long before things get worse. Sometimes subtly, sometimes more bluntly. Until the day comes when we can no longer ignore the signals.

I suffered a mild stroke—a microstroke—and I share this experience not to cause alarm, but to raise awareness. Because by learning to recognize warning signs, we can act early.

But let’s start with what a stroke is?

A stroke occurs when blood flow is interrupted in part of the brain. Brain cells deprived of oxygen begin to die. The consequences can be serious: impaired speech, memory loss, paralysis, and more. The most common cause is thrombosis: a clot that blocks a vessel. It can be caused by an unhealthy lifestyle, a sedentary lifestyle, certain hormonal therapies, or simply the aging of blood vessels.

A month before my stroke, my body began to warn me. These were the first symptoms.