OVERCAME THE ODDS. WE WORKED AT IN THE CONCESSION STAND AT OUR HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL GAME. THE NIGHT BEFORE, AND I WAS TOTALLY FINE. NINE HOURS LATER, JANA PHELPS WOULD COLLAPSE IN HER KITCHEN, UNABLE TO MOVE. AT JUST 41, SHE HAD A STROKE. I REMEMBER POURING MY COFFEE AND THAT’S THE LAST THING I REMEMBER. IT WAS SCARY. IT WAS I MEAN, YOU WALK IN THERE AND SHE’S LAYING ON THE GROUND. YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT’S HAPPENED. I THOUGHT MAYBE SHE FELL. MAYBE SHE HIT HER HEAD. I THOUGHT I FELL. I KEPT SAYING I FELL. I FELL. AND I SAID, JUST HELP ME UP. JUST HELP ME UP. AND FINALLY, I KIND OF REALIZED I COULDN’T USE MY LEFT SIDE. A HEALTHY SHAWNEE MOM OF THREE BOYS NOW BEING RUSHED TO THE HOSPITAL WITH TIME TICKING. JANA CAME HERE TO O.U. MED AND WITHIN JUST TWO HOURS SHE WAS ABLE TO REGAIN FULL MOBILITY. ALL THESE STROKES ARE ABOUT TIME. IT’S ESSENTIALLY ALL ABOUT TIME. AND IF WE CAN GET IT DONE QUICKLY AND GET THE VESSEL BACK OPEN, THAT LEADS TO THE BEST OUTCOMES. I REMEMBER NOT BEING ABLE TO MOVE ANYTHING. HE KEPT ASKING ME TO MOVE THINGS AND I COULDN’T DO IT. AND I REMEMBER HIM SAYING THAT THEY GOT IT. AND THEN HE ASKED ME TO MOVE MY LEFT ARM AND I MEAN, JUST LIFT IT RIGHT UP. THAT CALL FROM DOCTOR BAUER TWO HOURS AFTER AFTER WE GET HERE WAS I CAN’T DESCRIBE THE FEELING. I JUST BROKE DOWN. DOCTORS DISCOVERED HER STROKE WAS CAUSED BY A HOLE IN HER HEART, SOMETHING JANA HAD NO IDEA ABOUT. THEY SAY 25% OF PEOPLE ARE BORN WITH IT, BUT IT DOESN’T. DOESN’T AFFECT MOST PEOPLE. EIGHT MONTHS LATER AND JANA ONLY HAS MINOR SIDE EFFECTS. HER HEART HAS BEEN REPAIRED AND NOW SHE HOPES HER STORY INSPIRES OTHERS. YOUNG AND OLD, TO RECOGNIZE SYMPTOMS OF A STROKE. MAYBE YOU CAN’T MOVE YOUR ARM. YOUR ARM IS WEAK. YOU HAVE SOME SORT OF NUMBNESS. IT TYPICALLY IS FOCAL. IT DOESN’T AFFECT BOTH SIDES OF THE BODY AT THE SAME TIME, MOST OF THE TIME YOUR SPEECH COULD BE OFF. REALLY? ANYTHING THAT YOU SAY, MAN, SOMETHING’S WRONG WITH MY. IT SEEMS LIKE SOMETHING’S WRONG WITH MY MY BRAIN OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. THAT THAT WOULD BE A KEY TO TO SEEK TREATMENT AND TO ACT QUICKLY IF YOU EVEN THINK THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE ONE TO CALL 911, BECAUSE AS TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE AND I MEAN, IF WE HAD WAITED ANOTH
Mom shares story of resilience after suffering stroke at 41
Doctors discovered her stroke was caused by a hole in her heart, something Jana had no idea she had
Updated: 10:27 AM EDT May 13, 2023
An Oklahoma mom shared her story of resiliency and redemption after suffering a stroke at 41 years old. “We worked at our high school football game the night before, and I was totally fine,” said Jana Phelps. Nine hours later, she collapsed in her kitchen, unable to move. “I remember pouring my coffee, and that’s the last thing I remember,” said Phelps. Her husband, Lance Phelps, said it was frightening to walk in and see his wife on the ground. “I thought maybe she fell and hit her head,” Lance said. “I thought I fell. I kept saying, ‘I fell, I fell.’ Finally, I realized I couldn’t use my left side,” said Jana. Jana, a mom of three boys, was rushed to the hospital. She arrived at OU Medical Center, and within two hours, she regained full mobility. “All these strokes are essentially about time. If we can get it done quickly, it leads to the best outcome,” said Dr. Andrew Bauer, an assistant professor of neurosurgery at OU Health. Doctors discovered her stroke was caused by a hole in her heart, something she had no idea she had. “They say 20% of people are born with it, and it doesn’t affect most people,” said Jana. Eight months later, she only has minor side effects. Her heart has been repaired, and now, she hopes her story inspires others, young and old, to recognize the symptoms of the stroke. “Maybe you can’t move your arm. Your arm is weak. You have sort of numbness. Typically, it’s focal. It doesn’t affect both sides of the body at the same time. Your speech can be off. Really anything where you’re saying, ‘Man, something is wrong with my brain.’ That would be a key to seek treatment,” said Bauer.
An Oklahoma mom shared her story of resiliency and redemption after suffering a stroke at 41 years old.
“We worked at our high school football game the night before, and I was totally fine,” said Jana Phelps.
Nine hours later, she collapsed in her kitchen, unable to move. “I remember pouring my coffee, and that’s the last thing I remember,” said Phelps.
Her husband, Lance Phelps, said it was frightening to walk in and see his wife on the ground. “I thought maybe she fell and hit her head,” Lance said.
“I thought I fell. I kept saying, ‘I fell, I fell.’ Finally, I realized I couldn’t use my left side,” said Jana.
Jana, a mom of three boys, was rushed to the hospital. She arrived at OU Medical Center, and within two hours, she regained full mobility.
“All these strokes are essentially about time. If we can get it done quickly, it leads to the best outcome,” said Dr. Andrew Bauer, an assistant professor of neurosurgery at OU Health.
Doctors discovered her stroke was caused by a hole in her heart, something she had no idea she had.
“They say 20% of people are born with it, and it doesn’t affect most people,” said Jana.
Eight months later, she only has minor side effects. Her heart has been repaired, and now, she hopes her story inspires others, young and old, to recognize the symptoms of the stroke.
“Maybe you can’t move your arm. Your arm is weak. You have sort of numbness. Typically, it’s focal. It doesn’t affect both sides of the body at the same time. Your speech can be off. Really anything where you’re saying, ‘Man, something is wrong with my brain.’ That would be a key to seek treatment,” said Bauer.
