“My mom got them and my grandmother got them, so I didn’t realize that wasn’t normal,” she said.
Enteado now works with a neurologist to prevent migraines, which unexpectedly became more frequent following her stroke. She also takes blood thinners to minimize the risk of another stroke.
The only other lingering effect from her stroke is mild numbness that can make it difficult to control the left side of her face when she’s overly tired, though it has been subsiding with time.
Stroke is the fifth-leading killer of Americans, and a leading cause of disability. The experience has motivated Enteado, now 27, to raise stroke awareness in hopes that others will recognize the symptoms – face drooping, arm weakness, speech difficulty – and call 911 quickly, no matter their age.
Looking back, Enteado said she now realizes she wasted valuable time by going first to her parents’ house when her symptoms began.
“Knowing what I know now, I would have gone straight to the hospital,” she said.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fgg18BwTFVw?enablejsapi=1]
Enteado works for jewelry and accessory brand Alex and Ani. Inspired by Enteado’s experience and stories from other stroke survivors, the company released a special bangle, evoking a butterfly motif called “Wings of Change.” Alex and Ani will donate 20 percent of the purchase price to the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association. The company’s “Best Friends” bangle, released in 2012 to commemorate heart health, has generated more than $3 million for AHA.
The experience changed Enteado’s perspective on life, helping her to let go of the little things that used to stress her out.
“I realized how easy it is to take life for granted,” she said, “so now I try to live life every day with a positive attitude and be grateful for this second chance.”