It was supposed to be just another ordinary workday. In 2023, Lynn Chia, then an accounts executive, woke up with what she assumed was a migraine. She brushed it off and went about her day, not knowing that eight hours later, she would suffer a haemorrhagic stroke. She was only 37.
By evening, the headache and nausea had intensified. Feeling “really weird”, she texted her then-fiance Steve Peh that she was unwell. Shortly after, she lost consciousness.
When she eventually awoke from her five-day coma after emergency brain surgery, Chia had lost everything she had taken for granted – her mobility, speech and independence.
“I had to re-learn everything – walking, talking. Even my eyesight was affected,” she said.
Over the past two years, the stroke survivor, now 39, has been rebuilding her strength with support from family and Peh, now her husband.
Chia told CNA Women that she wants other women to know something she had not known earlier: Stroke doesn’t only happen to older men. It can happen at any age and affect younger women too.
“When you’re young, you think ‘this type of thing will not happen to me’. I had that mentality too,” she said.
When Chia woke up from her coma, nothing felt familiar. Her body, movements and even her own reflection felt strange to her.
Chia after undergoing emergency brain surgery following her stroke. (Photo: Lynn Chia)
“It was all back to zero,” she said. Her speech was slurred, she struggled with basic movements and her previously perfect eyesight could not make out words.
Most jarring of all was realising that her long hair, which she loved, had been shaved for the surgery. Peh had anticipated that this would devastate her.
“I knew that when she woke up, she’d go crazy because her hair was all shaved. So I went to shave my head too,” he said. “True enough, the first thing she did when she woke up was try to touch her long hair. When she found it all gone, she got agitated.”
In her confused and emotional state, Chia tried to pull out all the tubes and lines attached to her. Trying to calm her, Peh showed her his shaved head and said, “You botak never mind, I botak with you.” Botak means bald in Malay.
Smiling at the memory, Chia said: “Yeah… that really helped.”
Chia was devastated to find out that her long hair had been shaved for emergency brain surgery following her stroke. (Photo: Lynn Chia)
The weeks that followed were some of her hardest moments. Chia could not use the toilet on her own or brush her teeth, and she needed help for the most basic movements, like standing and sitting. Speech therapy, physical therapy, assisted walking sessions helped her re-learn speech and movement.
Although stroke is often perceived as a condition associated with older men, women accounted for about 42 per cent of all stroke cases in Singapore in 2022, according to data from the Singapore Stroke Registry.
While strokes tend to occur at a later age in women, with the average age of stroke onset at 74.5 years compared with 67.8 years in men, younger women are not exempt. Around 7.4 per cent of women who experienced stroke were under the age of 50, noted Associate Professor Deidre De Silva, chair of the Stroke Services Improvement team at Ministry of Health.
Hypertension, or high blood pressure, is a key risk factor, along with other factors, including high cholesterol, diabetes, smoking, being overweight, lack of exercise and an unhealthy diet, added Assoc Prof De Silva, who is also senior consultant at the Department of Neurology at the National Neuroscience Institute (Singapore General Hospital campus).
Some women may also have risks linked to pregnancy, hormonal-related treatment, and certain autoimmune conditions. Women who have high blood pressure and diabetes during pregnancy also carry a higher risk of stroke, if these are not managed well after pregnancy, Assoc Prof De Silva added.
Chia’s then-fiance Steve Peh (right) stood by her side throughout her difficult recovery. (Photo: Eveline Gan)
Looking back, Chia realises that she had repeatedly ignored the warning signs in her early 30s. She had visited doctors for sleep issues, and high blood pressure was detected during those visits.
Once, after an unusually high blood pressure reading, she was advised by a family doctor to go to the emergency room if the high reading persisted. But none of it felt serious at the time as she felt she had youth on her side.
“To be honest, I feel I was running away from reality,” she said. “It felt very unbelievable as I had just passed 30. I thought it was a sudden spike… I was so young.”
It was only after her stroke that she learnt that there was a genetic component to her hypertension. Her father was also diagnosed with high blood pressure in his 30s and has been taking medication to control it.
Associate Professor Deidre De Silva, senior consultant at the Department of Neurology at the National Neuroscience Institute (Singapore General Hospital campus), said that women who get a stroke tend to present to hospital later than men, meaning there is a longer time from symptoms onset to hospital arrival, which delays treatment.
Remember the FAST acronym:
Research shows that women are more likely to have other symptoms in addition to conventional symptoms, compared with men:
The first three months of recovery were the hardest. Chia recalled the “terrible” days of waking up with numbness and distorted vision. Even simple tasks felt overwhelming.
One memory still stands out: She wanted to tidy her belongings but found herself unable to make sense of colours or categories. “It was such a weird feeling that I was looking at them but not able to arrange them, like red with red, eyebrow pencil with eyebrow pencil. It was like my brain couldn’t function,” she said.
Uncertainty also weighed heavily on her. She wasn’t sure if her condition allowed her to return to work normally again.
But what kept her going was love and support from people around her. After her discharge, Chia moved into Peh’s parents’ flat for six months. They gave the couple their master bedroom which had an attached bathroom, to make things easier.
Peh, a self-employed interior designer and renovation contractor at the time, did what he could to adjust his unpredictable working hours. When he could not be at home, a close cousin stopped by frequently to check in and bring her food.
Peh had already made up his mind to support Chia, no matter what. “On the day of her discharge, I was mentally prepared that even if she could no longer work, I would take up everything,” he said. For long-term stability, he eventually switched to a full-time job as a property officer.
Chia said getting a puppy during her recovery gave her the motivation to practise her motor movements as she has to feed and clean up after her dog. (Photo: Lynn Chia)
Both families rallied around Chia. Her mother and Peh’s mother cooked nutritious meals, her father frequently visited. Her sister bought her a wig when she felt too self-conscious to leave the house. Either Peh or his mother would accompany her on slow daily walks around the nearby park to regain strength.
An unexpected source of motivation came in the form of a new puppy. “I love dogs, and having the puppy motivated me. It helped me practise my motor movements – feeding it, cleaning up,” she said.
It took about a year before Chia felt “okay again”, physically. The couple married in March last year, and now live in their own flat. She is currently working as a personal assistant.
Chia hopes that her experience will serve as a reminder to other women: Don’t brush off seemingly minor health issues when life gets busy – “stroke can be prevented”.
It took a year after her stroke for Chia to feel physically “okay again” and the couple (second and third, from left) married in March 2024. (Photo: Lynn Chia)
While rare genetic conditions can predispose an individual to an early stroke, the majority of cases are linked to modifiable risk factors. Assoc Prof De Silva said: “Everyone can reduce their stroke risk by up to 80 per cent with lifestyle measures and control of risk factors of blood pressure, diabetes and cholesterol.”
Hypertension, in particular, is the most common modifiable risk factor of stroke. Control of blood pressure with medication has been shown to reduce stroke risk by 27-41 per centin all age groups, and in men and women, she said.
“Thus, it is important to screen for blood pressure and if diagnosed, to take your medication and continue with regular follow-up to ensure good control,” added Assoc Prof De Silva.
Those with a family history of stroke should heed the same stroke risk-reduction strategies. They may also consider asking about genetic testingand if other relevant specific screening is needed.
Chia still experiences lingering effects from her stroke. For example, she has some balance issues, cannot multi-task while walking, or walk too fast. She also takes daily medication.
Despite that, she is deeply grateful. Escaping death has changed the way she views life.
“Before my stroke, I was always competitive. I still want to be a better version of myself but I no longer compare myself to others,” she said.
“After being so close to death, there’s no point to keep comparing yourself with others because everybody will still face life and death. That’s not important, as long as you’re happy and earning enough.”
If she could speak to her younger self, Chia would offer this advice: “I would tell myself to take that medication (for high blood pressure). Don’t choose to ignore it even though you think you’re young.”
CNA Women is a section on CNA Lifestyle that seeks to inform, empower and inspire the modern woman. If you have women-related news, issues and ideas to share with us, email CNAWomen [at] mediacorp.com.sg.
Continue reading...
By evening, the headache and nausea had intensified. Feeling “really weird”, she texted her then-fiance Steve Peh that she was unwell. Shortly after, she lost consciousness.
When she eventually awoke from her five-day coma after emergency brain surgery, Chia had lost everything she had taken for granted – her mobility, speech and independence.
“I had to re-learn everything – walking, talking. Even my eyesight was affected,” she said.
Over the past two years, the stroke survivor, now 39, has been rebuilding her strength with support from family and Peh, now her husband.
Chia told CNA Women that she wants other women to know something she had not known earlier: Stroke doesn’t only happen to older men. It can happen at any age and affect younger women too.
“When you’re young, you think ‘this type of thing will not happen to me’. I had that mentality too,” she said.
STARTING FROM ZERO
When Chia woke up from her coma, nothing felt familiar. Her body, movements and even her own reflection felt strange to her.
Chia after undergoing emergency brain surgery following her stroke. (Photo: Lynn Chia)
“It was all back to zero,” she said. Her speech was slurred, she struggled with basic movements and her previously perfect eyesight could not make out words.
Most jarring of all was realising that her long hair, which she loved, had been shaved for the surgery. Peh had anticipated that this would devastate her.
“I knew that when she woke up, she’d go crazy because her hair was all shaved. So I went to shave my head too,” he said. “True enough, the first thing she did when she woke up was try to touch her long hair. When she found it all gone, she got agitated.”
In her confused and emotional state, Chia tried to pull out all the tubes and lines attached to her. Trying to calm her, Peh showed her his shaved head and said, “You botak never mind, I botak with you.” Botak means bald in Malay.
Smiling at the memory, Chia said: “Yeah… that really helped.”
Chia was devastated to find out that her long hair had been shaved for emergency brain surgery following her stroke. (Photo: Lynn Chia)
The weeks that followed were some of her hardest moments. Chia could not use the toilet on her own or brush her teeth, and she needed help for the most basic movements, like standing and sitting. Speech therapy, physical therapy, assisted walking sessions helped her re-learn speech and movement.
IN DENIAL BEFORE THE STROKE
Although stroke is often perceived as a condition associated with older men, women accounted for about 42 per cent of all stroke cases in Singapore in 2022, according to data from the Singapore Stroke Registry.
While strokes tend to occur at a later age in women, with the average age of stroke onset at 74.5 years compared with 67.8 years in men, younger women are not exempt. Around 7.4 per cent of women who experienced stroke were under the age of 50, noted Associate Professor Deidre De Silva, chair of the Stroke Services Improvement team at Ministry of Health.
Hypertension, or high blood pressure, is a key risk factor, along with other factors, including high cholesterol, diabetes, smoking, being overweight, lack of exercise and an unhealthy diet, added Assoc Prof De Silva, who is also senior consultant at the Department of Neurology at the National Neuroscience Institute (Singapore General Hospital campus).
Some women may also have risks linked to pregnancy, hormonal-related treatment, and certain autoimmune conditions. Women who have high blood pressure and diabetes during pregnancy also carry a higher risk of stroke, if these are not managed well after pregnancy, Assoc Prof De Silva added.
Chia’s then-fiance Steve Peh (right) stood by her side throughout her difficult recovery. (Photo: Eveline Gan)
Looking back, Chia realises that she had repeatedly ignored the warning signs in her early 30s. She had visited doctors for sleep issues, and high blood pressure was detected during those visits.
Once, after an unusually high blood pressure reading, she was advised by a family doctor to go to the emergency room if the high reading persisted. But none of it felt serious at the time as she felt she had youth on her side.
“To be honest, I feel I was running away from reality,” she said. “It felt very unbelievable as I had just passed 30. I thought it was a sudden spike… I was so young.”
It was only after her stroke that she learnt that there was a genetic component to her hypertension. Her father was also diagnosed with high blood pressure in his 30s and has been taking medication to control it.
STROKE SYMPTOMS IN WOMEN
Associate Professor Deidre De Silva, senior consultant at the Department of Neurology at the National Neuroscience Institute (Singapore General Hospital campus), said that women who get a stroke tend to present to hospital later than men, meaning there is a longer time from symptoms onset to hospital arrival, which delays treatment.
Remember the FAST acronym:
- Face drooping
- Arm weakness
- Speech difficulty
- Time to call for an ambulance immediately
Research shows that women are more likely to have other symptoms in addition to conventional symptoms, compared with men:
- Nausea
- Confusion
- Impaired consciousness – the person may appear drowsy
REBUILDING HER LIFE WITH FAMILY SUPPORT
The first three months of recovery were the hardest. Chia recalled the “terrible” days of waking up with numbness and distorted vision. Even simple tasks felt overwhelming.
One memory still stands out: She wanted to tidy her belongings but found herself unable to make sense of colours or categories. “It was such a weird feeling that I was looking at them but not able to arrange them, like red with red, eyebrow pencil with eyebrow pencil. It was like my brain couldn’t function,” she said.
Uncertainty also weighed heavily on her. She wasn’t sure if her condition allowed her to return to work normally again.
But what kept her going was love and support from people around her. After her discharge, Chia moved into Peh’s parents’ flat for six months. They gave the couple their master bedroom which had an attached bathroom, to make things easier.
Peh, a self-employed interior designer and renovation contractor at the time, did what he could to adjust his unpredictable working hours. When he could not be at home, a close cousin stopped by frequently to check in and bring her food.
Peh had already made up his mind to support Chia, no matter what. “On the day of her discharge, I was mentally prepared that even if she could no longer work, I would take up everything,” he said. For long-term stability, he eventually switched to a full-time job as a property officer.
Chia said getting a puppy during her recovery gave her the motivation to practise her motor movements as she has to feed and clean up after her dog. (Photo: Lynn Chia)
Both families rallied around Chia. Her mother and Peh’s mother cooked nutritious meals, her father frequently visited. Her sister bought her a wig when she felt too self-conscious to leave the house. Either Peh or his mother would accompany her on slow daily walks around the nearby park to regain strength.
An unexpected source of motivation came in the form of a new puppy. “I love dogs, and having the puppy motivated me. It helped me practise my motor movements – feeding it, cleaning up,” she said.
It took about a year before Chia felt “okay again”, physically. The couple married in March last year, and now live in their own flat. She is currently working as a personal assistant.
MANAGING STROKE RISK STARTS EARLY
Chia hopes that her experience will serve as a reminder to other women: Don’t brush off seemingly minor health issues when life gets busy – “stroke can be prevented”.
It took a year after her stroke for Chia to feel physically “okay again” and the couple (second and third, from left) married in March 2024. (Photo: Lynn Chia)
While rare genetic conditions can predispose an individual to an early stroke, the majority of cases are linked to modifiable risk factors. Assoc Prof De Silva said: “Everyone can reduce their stroke risk by up to 80 per cent with lifestyle measures and control of risk factors of blood pressure, diabetes and cholesterol.”
Hypertension, in particular, is the most common modifiable risk factor of stroke. Control of blood pressure with medication has been shown to reduce stroke risk by 27-41 per centin all age groups, and in men and women, she said.
“Thus, it is important to screen for blood pressure and if diagnosed, to take your medication and continue with regular follow-up to ensure good control,” added Assoc Prof De Silva.
Those with a family history of stroke should heed the same stroke risk-reduction strategies. They may also consider asking about genetic testingand if other relevant specific screening is needed.
A NEW OUTLOOK ON LIFE
Chia still experiences lingering effects from her stroke. For example, she has some balance issues, cannot multi-task while walking, or walk too fast. She also takes daily medication.
Despite that, she is deeply grateful. Escaping death has changed the way she views life.
“Before my stroke, I was always competitive. I still want to be a better version of myself but I no longer compare myself to others,” she said.
“After being so close to death, there’s no point to keep comparing yourself with others because everybody will still face life and death. That’s not important, as long as you’re happy and earning enough.”
If she could speak to her younger self, Chia would offer this advice: “I would tell myself to take that medication (for high blood pressure). Don’t choose to ignore it even though you think you’re young.”
CNA Women is a section on CNA Lifestyle that seeks to inform, empower and inspire the modern woman. If you have women-related news, issues and ideas to share with us, email CNAWomen [at] mediacorp.com.sg.
Continue reading...