Stroke patient raising awareness during Stroke Month

Riverside Community Hospital is recognizing National Stroke Awareness Month by sharing former patient Amanda’s story to bring awareness about the warning signs and symptoms of stroke. Amanda recently reunited with members of her care team five years after surviving a stroke and is sharing her incredible journey in the hopes of educating and inspiring others.

Amanda Salgado was brought to Riverside Community Hospital’s Emergency Room in February of 2020 concerned she was having a stroke. She was experiencing paralysis on the left side of her body and experiencing confusion and difficulty speaking. Amanda was only 23 years old at this time.

When she arrived at the ER, the stroke team successfully removed a blood clot from her brain, in a procedure called a thrombectomy, which involves using a catheter traveling through the blood vessels into the brain, physically pulling out the blood clot. The thrombectomy was a major success and delivered the best possible outcome.

Due to the amount of swelling associated with strokes like Amanda’s, Dr. Nikhil Sahasrabudhe, neurosurgeon at Riverside Community Hospital, was consulted and performed a second emergency surgery to remove a portion of her skull on the right side, called a decompressive hemicraniectomy, to reduce swelling and prevent complications. Months later, when the swelling was down, Dr. Sahasrabudhe put Amanda’s skull back into place.

Now a healthy 28-year-old, Amanda is returning to Riverside Community Hospital as a volunteer to give words of hope to stroke survivors. She is also sharing her story to educate the community that strokes can happen to anyone at any age.