Stroke shocks family: mother's fight for survival!

Stroke shocks family: mother's fight for survival!

It was the end of November 2023 when Ms. K.'s world seemed to stand still for a moment. After a day of sports, I suddenly had an extreme headache, followed by a suspicion of Corona, which quickly turned out to be false. Suddenly she was woken up in the night by severe pain and couldn't let go of a glass of water. The next morning she noticed motor problems and speech problems and asked her husband to call emergency services. A phone call that changed her life.

Ms. K. was taken to the Favoriten Clinic, where neurological tests were initially normal. But the MRI revealed the worrying diagnosis: stroke. Further examination of the neck vessels revealed a tear in the left carotid artery. Horrible lightning bolt of realization, the fear wouldn't let her sleep.

The path to recovery

Computed tomography in the clinic revealed a blood clot that required immediate action. After being transferred to the Landstrasse Clinic, the clot was successfully removed, to the delight of Ms. K.'s relatives, who were all optimistic about her recovery. Rüdiger Schernthaner, head of the radiology institute, played a key role here. The dark clouds of the disease began to clear and the blood flow to the left hemisphere of the brain noticeably improved.

But it was a long road: After the procedure, Ms. K. spent three months in early rehabilitation at the Favoriten Clinic and then underwent two outpatient rehabilitation stays at the Rosenhügel Neurological Rehabilitation Center. Continuous MRI checks confirmed the positive development; her blood circulation was largely intact. Nine months after the incident, the time had come: she returned to work.

More implications and grateful thoughts

In September 2025 she was again at the Landstrasse Clinic and was able to discuss the still noticeable effects of the stroke. Life has taken its toll on her, but her gratitude is great: “I would like to thank the clinic teams for the good and quick treatment,” she says with a warm smile.

Although the prevalence of strokes in the population remains worrying according to a study by the RKI - around 1.4% of people in Germany live with the consequences of a stroke - Ms K.'s case shows how important rapid medical interventions are. The prevalence increases with age, meaning older people are particularly at risk. And since in Vienna the exchange and support among health facilities in particular is constantly improving, one can be confident that the best measures are being taken to save and improve lives [heute.at] [rki.de].

In the midst of these challenges and blows of fate, there remains hope that even more people like Ms. K. can overcome these shadows and regain their quality of life.