Stroke: "I had my stroke at 30, during a long-haul flight from Cambodia to Paris."

Hello Sophany, thank you for sharing your story with Carenity.

To start, can you tell us a bit more about yourself?

My name is Sophany, I’m 32 years old, and I live in Paris with my partner (and my cat). A part of my family is in France, and the other part is in Cambodia, my parents’ homeland, which I visit quite regularly.

I’m a bit of an epicurean and especially a foodie: I love good food, fine wines, long meals, and travel, which is often dictated by the restaurants I want to try. I enjoy socializing, meeting new people, and connecting with friends, but I also have a strong homebody side.

I don’t mind being alone, in fact, I need solitude to recharge, get inspired, and spark my creativity. Recently, I’ve discovered a passion for air-dry clay, which now occupies a big part of my daily life.

In terms of health, I’d never had any major issues before. I was very athletic for many years (I competed in artistic gymnastics), and while I don’t practice any sports now except for walking and yoga, I’m far from sedentary.

Professionally, I worked for over ten years as a Marketing and Communication Manager. Since my stroke, I’ve stepped away from my job to focus on my health and passions.

You had a stroke at the age of 30. Can you tell us about the symptoms you experienced?

The day I had my stroke, September 30, 2022, I experienced the following symptoms:

• Inability to swallow
• Facial distortion/drooping
• Speech difficulties
• Sudden, severe dizziness
• Loss of balance
• Left arm numbness
• Numbness in the legs
• Sensitivity to light

These are all classic stroke symptoms that are often highlighted in media and awareness campaigns. However, it took a long time for them to be recognized in my case, and I wasn’t diagnosed until the following day, late in the morning. I spent over 24 hours in a medical limbo.

The day before, I also had early signs such as dizziness, vomiting, and a loss of balance. But I didn’t think much of it at the time, assuming it was just a stomach issue or a virus. My loved ones and those helping me also didn’t suspect anything serious.

Can you tell us more about the circumstances in which it happened? How did you and those around you react?

I had my stroke in a very stressful environment: on a plane, during a long-haul flight from Cambodia to Paris (15 hours), about two hours before landing.

I was on vacation in Cambodia with my partner in September 2022. The day before our flight, I was preparing to enjoy our last day when I was suddenly hit with severe dizziness and a total loss of balance. The hotel room was spinning, and I couldn’t stand up. I stayed in bed all day, alternating between dizziness and vomiting. At that point, I thought it was just food poisoning, so I didn’t panic too much and waited for things to settle down.

The next day, the dizziness returned, though less intensely, but my legs felt weak and shaky. A pharmacist gave me medicine for nausea and dizziness, along with a vitamin drink.

I boarded the plane exhausted but relatively calm despite the 15-hour journey ahead. The first flight (2 hours) went well, and on the second flight (13 hours), I managed to rest and eat without any issues.

But after 11 hours into the second flight, I woke up with a start. Something felt wrong, though I didn’t know exactly what. I couldn’t swallow my saliva, my jaw and neck were numb, and I panicked, feeling like my throat was closing up and I was going to choke. I climbed over my sleeping neighbor and went to the flight crew. At that point, I couldn’t form coherent words; my mouth was paralyzed, and my jaw muscles weren’t responding.

One of the stewards thought I was having an allergic reaction to medication and gave me a painkiller. But my condition worsened: my mouth and left eye drooped, and my face was numb. I knew it wasn’t just an allergy.

Other crew members came to check on me and made an emergency announcement over the loudspeaker. Two doctors and a nurse responded. All three examined me and diagnosed an allergy. I had to take an antihistamine, which was very difficult.

My condition kept deteriorating, so a flight attendant gave me oxygen through a mask. The dizziness intensified, and I lost feeling in my arm.

The crew then considered giving me an emergency adrenaline shot for an allergic reaction, but they hesitated and (fortunately) decided against it.

I felt terrified and misunderstood. I knew I wasn’t having an allergic reaction. There were less than two hours left in the flight, and I watched the seconds tick by, convinced I was going to die on that plane.

Despite everything, the crew was incredibly kind, and looking back, I’m not sure what more they could have done, even if they had recognized the stroke, hearing that diagnosis on the plane might have worried me even more.

What kind of care did you receive after landing?

Just before landing, the flight attendants contacted the airport’s emergency medical team, so they were ready to assist me once we arrived.

They took me to see an emergency doctor, and I listed all my symptoms: facial drooping, speech difficulties, inability to swallow, dizziness, loss of balance, numbness in my arm and legs. Again, this doctor diagnosed an allergy. I had to take another pill (still hard to swallow and dangerous), and I was sent home, feeling utterly dejected.

When we got home, I couldn’t stand anymore; my legs wouldn’t respond. My partner had to carry me, and I was blinded by the lights in our apartment. I couldn’t pick up my cat. I was so scared of dying in my sleep that we called emergency services (SAMU). They sent us to the hospital right away (we had to get there on our own).

I was first seen in the ENT emergency department, where they performed several neurological exams. I overheard discussions about meningitis, brain infections, and encephalitis.

Afterward, I was sent, this time alone, to the general emergency room, where the wait felt interminable:

12:20 am: ENT emergency

2:10 am: General emergency

2:45 am: Blood test

4:45 am: CT scan

9:45 am: CT scan results

10:00 am: Brain MRI

10:45 am: MRI results

The process was extremely long. I was alone and felt like I wasn’t being treated urgently, as if every minute counted. I had the sense that no one grasped the severity of my situation, and I felt forgotten in the middle of all the intoxicated people sobering up around me.

When the neurologist finally told me I’d had a stroke at 10:45 a.m., I was almost relieved. I was being taken seriously at last, and I knew I’d get the care I needed.

I was admitted to intensive care in a neurovascular unit, where I spent about ten days under close observation. They performed numerous tests to find the cause of the stroke (which remains unknown), including scans, echocardiograms, MRIs, and more. Everything moved very quickly.

Once stabilized, I was transferred to an excellent rehabilitation service, where I stayed for over a month. There, I relearned how to walk properly, regain my balance, be independent, reduce the dizziness, and most importantly, relearn how to swallow. I had a nasogastric tube for about 20 days, which was removed on October 20 (my birthday!).

There can be many complications after a stroke. How are you doing now?

Today, I consider myself relatively “lucky,” given the extreme conditions in which my stroke occurred. I was fortunate that the stroke didn’t cause major permanent damage and that I recovered well.

Physically and motor-wise, the lasting effects aren’t too severe:

• Right-side hypoesthesia: The entire right side of my body is insensitive to temperature and less sensitive to touch than the left side.
• Some facial paralysis and synkinesis (involuntary movements).
• Slight balance issues, which I’m working on with a physical therapist.
• Weight gain due to medications and hormonal imbalances (thyroid issues).

However, the first year was tough psychologically.

Beyond attention, memory, mood, and fatigue issues, I was mostly terrified of having another stroke. I developed intense anxiety, with a constant sense of imminent danger.

Every night was difficult, and so were car or train rides, as they subconsciously reminded me of that flight. The smallest dizzy spell, headache, or sudden movement of my head would trigger instant anxiety.

I’ve since learned to live with this anxiety and manage my fears (which are often irrational), but I still have this strange feeling of having survived and used up my “only lifeline.” That’s why I plan to start EMDR therapy soon to help with these anxiety disorders.

What is your current follow-up care?

While looking for the cause of my stroke, I underwent numerous tests, including on my heart. This led to the diagnosis of arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia (ARVD), a genetic heart condition unrelated to my stroke. I’ll need to monitor it with a cardiologist for the rest of my life.

As for the stroke, I have regular check-ups with an internist and a neurologist, along with frequent blood tests. Any new symptoms must be reported immediately, and I can communicate with my doctors by email if I have any concerns.

For my balance issues and dizziness, I sometimes do vestibular physical therapy sessions. As I mentioned, I plan to start EMDR therapy soon to address my anxiety.

Finally, what advice would you give to Carenity members who have also experienced a stroke?

Never give up.

Be patient and stay positive; every little step forward is a victory!

As a foodie, my swallowing problem was particularly difficult to deal with. I had a nasogastric tube for feeding, and I was worried I might never eat again. So, I celebrated every little milestone: first swallow of saliva, first spoonful of strawberry jelly, first pureed meal, first solid food… all the way to my first raclette! It was a way to feel like I was beating the stroke and gradually getting back to normal life.

You’re not alone, and you don’t have to go through this alone.

During my hospitalization, I was in contact with several other stroke survivors (of all ages!), and it helped to share feelings with people who weren’t necessarily close to me but understood what I was going through.

We may not know each other personally, but we "get it." They’ll recognize themselves if they read this!

Sharing your journey can be cathartic: I posted daily Instagram stories, initially to keep my loved ones informed. But it ended up helping me externalize everything and gain perspective on what I was going through. I wanted to be clear with my loved ones, so I had to ask doctors lots of questions to make sure I wasn’t saying anything inaccurate. And because I didn’t want to worry my loved ones, I kept a positive tone, which helped me stay in good spirits.

Any final words?

This testimony is not meant to criticize the airline or the emergency medical services; I’m not blaming anyone.

But it’s important to point out that all the symptoms were there, and they took a long time to be recognized.

That’s why I’m so passionate about sharing my experience to raise awareness about stroke symptoms, which, I remind you, can affect people of all ages.

Strokes can happen to anyone at any time in their life, and the best way to prevent them or respond early is to educate yourself from a young age and educate those around you.

Know the signs!

A big thank you to Sophany for this interview!

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Take care of yourself!