A Perth Dad whose wife and daughters saved his life after a huge stroke in January 2021 is extra thankful for more time with his family this Christmas.
Rhyan Keating was living and working on a rural property in Wundowie when he experienced an excruciating headache.
“I was digging a trench at the time, and I had the most extreme headache, I came inside and had a lie down. I asked my wife Tracey to put some Voltaren on my neck,” Mr Keating said.
“My face started to go numb, I couldn’t lift my arms and I was slurring my words. Tracey recognised these as the tell-tale F.A.S.T signs of stroke and called an ambulance.
“My kids were amazing, one of them helped lower me to the floor, the other one ran to the front of the property and helped direct the ambulance.”
Rhyan spent weeks recovering in hospital and two years on, he has no sensation down his entire left-hand side.
“I may not be able to feel hot or cold, or pain in my left-hand side, but I know how lucky I am,” he said.
“Stroke makes you appreciate your family more. The experience was very scary for Tracey and the girls, it made them grow up a bit faster.
Rhyan is among the 44,000 stoke survivors living in Western Australia. He says his family’s quick response and recognition of the F.A.S.T acronym saved his life.
o FACE – has their mouth drooped?
o ARMS – Can they lift both arms?
o SPEECH – Is their speech slurred?
o TIME is critical. If any of these signs appears, call 000 immediately.
Rhyan is now training for the 2023 Busselton Ironman and is taking further steps to lower his stroke risk.
His message to other Dads is to be aware of stroke, get your blood pressure checked, and call an ambulance at the first sign of an emergency.
