Young does not mean invincible

Young doesn't mean you're stroke-proof.

I was a young 39 when mine happened. While most strokes happen to older people, a growing number of young people are having strokes, and this recent article shows that young doesn't mean invincible when it comes to strokes:

Strokes sounds like an old folks' problem, but they hit young people, too. And they don't all shake it off. One-third of people who had a stroke before age 50 are struggling with disability and loss of function nine years later.

Many of those people aren't able to live independently or need help with everyday tasks, such as managing their finances or personal care, a study of young stroke survivors finds. About 1 in 8 wasn't able to live independently.

The last sentence of that excerpt (you should read the whole article) is sobering. A stroke can rob a young person of his or her independence.

It's vital to know the stroke signs or symptoms and get help quickly. For the young, old and in between.