(SHREVEPORT, Louisiana) – May is National Stroke Awareness Month and CHRISTUS Health encourages people to know the signs of a stroke, which affects nearly 800,000 Americans each year.

The Centers for Disease Control estimates someone in the U.S. has a stroke every 40 seconds and someone dies of a stroke every three minutes.

Gloria Cole, an admission clerk in the radiology department at CHRISTUS Highland Medical Center, was at work when she had a stroke in February.

“I came in that morning and I was feeling fine,” Cole said. “I went to lunch at 12, still feeling fine. And then, between 1 and 1:30, it happened.”

Cole returned from lunch and was attempting to enter her password on her computer.

“The screen kind of went funny and I got agitated,” she said. “I told my co-worker, ‘I’ve got to go home, something is wrong.’”

That’s when Cole’s supervisor was made aware of what was happening.

“He came around and asked me a few questions and I couldn’t even get my words out,” she said. “I know what I was wanting to say but it wouldn’t come out. “So, he went and got a wheelchair and wheeled me around to the ER and they got me in there right away.”

While in the ER, a quick assessment was made and the Code Stroke protocol was activated. It was determined Cole was having an acute stroke and was given the clot buster drug, TPA.

The drug works by dissolving blood clots that block blood flow to the brain, restoring the flow to the regions affected by a stroke and limiting the risk of damage and functional impairment.

“While I was in Cardiac Intensive Care, my heart rate went up to like 180,” Cole said. “They gave me some medicine through an IV that they thought would bring my heart rate down, but it didn’t.”

Cole was given another medication that did lower her heart rate. She was hospitalized for a few days.

“I’ve never experienced anything like that before and I hope I never do again,” Cole said. “My sister is a nurse and she told me if I had been at home, it would have been much worse.”

Experts said every minute counts when it comes to a stroke, so spotting the signs is crucial.

The easiest way to recognize stroke symptoms is the acronym: BE FAST.

B: Balance – Is there a sudden loss of balance or coordination?
E: Eyes – Is there sudden blurred or double vision?
F: Face – Ask the person to smile. Does one side of their face droop?
A: Arm – Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward?
S: Speech – Ask the person to repeat a simple phrase. Is their speech slurred or strange?
T: Time – If you observe any of these signs, call 911 immediately, as time is very important.

Experts said high blood pressure, high cholesterol, smoking, obesity and diabetes are some of the leading causes of stroke.