“It was so much more than the event that happened to her brain. I also had to hold her heart during that time, because not everyone around her knew how to respond. It was difficult for her to come to grips with what happened to her.”
Jasmine was able to graduate high school on time and attend the Art Institute of Charlotte, where she pursued a major in fashion marketing.
Now 22, Jasmine said the experience has motivated her to make lifestyle changes to protect her heart and brain health, including avoiding the junk food she favored as a teen, eating more, drinking water instead of soda and getting plenty of exercise.
Lifestyle changes are part of the plan that stroke survivors should develop with their doctors to prevent a second stroke, according to the AHA. Medications to manage stroke risk factors and the addition of a blood-thinning drug such as aspirin may also be part of the tailored prevention plan.
After taking a break from school to have her son, Jaden, who is now 2, Jasmine is now taking classes online and starting a mentor program called A Queens Etiquette to help teen girls handle peer pressure and bullying, and develop good study habits in preparation for college.
“Even though I know I had a stroke, my mom was always encouraging me and telling me not to be afraid,” Jasmine said. “If I didn’t have my mom there to support me, I don’t think I could be where I am today.”