David Langston said his wife Deanna quickly rushed him to AdventHealth Sebring when he recognized signs that he was having a stroke.
SEBRING, Fla.,
— 67-year-old David Langston said he spent more than 30 years as a first responder, and the now retired firefighter/paramedic credits his experience for recognizing when he was having a stroke, while he was out clothes shopping with his wife, Deanna.
“I went into the dressing room to try on a shirt and all of a sudden, my left hand wasn’t working and my left arm dropped to the side and then I felt my leg kind of going wonky, so I called my wife and told her I was having a stroke,” Langston said. “I was scared half out my mind.
Langston said his wife quickly got him and drove them to AdventHealth Sebring, where the emergency department and ICU staff quickly started caring for him.
“What I saw there was superior care,” Langston said. “The ER staff was great; the ICU staff was beyond fantastic. I’ve been to a lot of hospitals in my life, both personally and professionally, and that was probably one of the highest levels of care I’ve ever seen.”
May is National Stroke Awareness Month and stroke is one of the leading causes of death in the United States, including Florida, with an even higher risk in Hardee and Highlands Counties. In 2023, Highlands County had about 57 stroke deaths for every 100,000 people, which is higher than the state average of 44.6, according to the Florida Department of Health. Hardee County had one of the highest stroke death rates in the state, with about 75 deaths for every 100,000 people.
A stroke happens when a blood vessel that carries oxygen and nutrients to the brain is either blocked by a clot, bursts or ruptures. When that happens, the brain cannot get the blood and oxygen it needs, so it and brain cells die.
Most risk factors for stroke in young and older adults are similar, like high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol and obesity. Other risk factors include excessive alcohol use, physical inactivity, smoking and heart disease. There are many things you can do to help lower your risk including getting your blood lipid level measured, eating a healthy diet, maintaining a healthy weight, being physically active and exercising regularly, not smoking and limiting alcohol consumption.
Health experts say you should try to remember the acronym, “BE FAST” to look for symptoms.
B - Balance - Look for loss of balance.
E - Eyes - Check for vision loss.
F - Face - Look for an uneven smile.
A - Arms - Check to see if one arm is weak.
S - Speech- Listen for slurred speech.
T - Time - It is time to CALL 9-1-1, if any of these signs are present.
Langston said he’s now doing well but still has a little weakness in his left arm, but added it’s still improving. Now, he’s doing what he can to help educate his friends, family and community members about the immediate signs of a stroke.
“My wife keeps me motivated, she keeps pushing me, so she deserves a lot of credit for that,” Langston said.
David and Deanna enjoy traveling, and spending time with their combined five children, 14 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. They’re also extremely grateful to the team at AdventHealth Sebring, who helped David during his harrowing experience.
“You know it felt like everyone there cared about me, I wasn’t just another patient number,” Langston said. “Everyone was so professional and courteous. I felt very comfortable at that hospital.”
To learn more about stroke prevention and treatment and learn about neurology care options where you live, you can go to Neurology Care | AdventHealth Medical Group or to AdventHealth Neuroscience Institute.