Heather Dubrow realized her husband, Terry, was having a stroke when she observed a sudden and significant change in his speech and eye contact during a conversation.
Initial Observation
The alarming signs began during a conversation at home. Her son, Nicky, was discussing a front-door security code. Terry attempted to participate by asking, "What's the code?" However, Heather immediately noticed that he "completely slurred the entire sentence." This distinct change in his verbal articulation was the first major red flag that alerted her something was seriously amiss.
Recognizing the Signs
Upon hearing his slurred speech, Heather instantly knew that "something wasn't right." She promptly asked Terry if he was okay. As she looked at him, she observed a second critical symptom: his eyes. She described them as "gone — not there," indicating a lack of focus or presence that was highly unusual and disturbing. These two clear indicators – slurred speech and altered eye appearance – were pivotal in her rapid assessment that Terry was experiencing a medical emergency, later confirmed as a ministroke.
The quick recognition of these symptoms by Heather highlights the importance of being aware of common stroke signs.
Key Signs Heather Noticed
Heather's acute observations allowed her to identify the emergency swiftly. The signs she noticed are crucial indicators of a stroke:
- Slurred Speech: Terry's inability to articulate words clearly and his entire sentence being slurred was a primary and immediate warning sign.
- Altered Eye Appearance: The description of his eyes being "gone" or "not there" suggests a disoriented or unresponsive gaze, another concerning symptom.
These observations align with common stroke recognition methods, such as the FAST acronym (Face drooping, Arm weakness, Speech difficulty, Time to call emergency services). While Terry didn't exhibit all of these, his speech difficulty and altered state were enough for Heather to react immediately.
For more details on the event, you can refer to the report on extratv.com.
