30-year-old Emonena Abenabe, a lawyer and author, is basking in her prime, seven years after surviving a stroke. Through her newly launched foundation, My Ability in Disability, M.A.I.D, she is resiliently inspiring other stroke survivors to live while calling for more stroke centres across Lagos State and Nigeria to save more lives.
Friday, November 27, 2015 remains a puzzle to Emonena Abenabe who was only 23 years old at that time. While having a jolly good time with her cousins on the island in Lagos state at 8 pm or thereabouts, the lawyer’s world came crumbling down abruptly. While she appeared hale on the outside, Abenabe slipped to the floor, hailing with a stroke.
Although five hospitals rejected me that night, I chose to be happy, determined to survive even in that sad situation. Struggling with her reality; I knew there was light at the end of the tunnel. Here I am today, helping other survivors to tell their stories and spur more to want to live,” the founder expressed rather cheerfully.
With her resolve to help other stroke patients and survivors, thereby reducing the spate of mortality, the young lawyer established her foundation, My Ability in Disability (M.AID) to raise awareness, support low-income survivors financially and inspire them to be optimistic. The maiden edition swung into action on October 29 this year to Mark World Stroke Day on the theme, “Keep the Stroke Out, How to Prevent a Stroke and Life After it”.
Her Stroke Experience
Stroke is very complicated, says Abenabe. “What caused my stroke was a blood clot that came from my heart to my brain on 27th November 2015,” when narrated. “The clot came from my heart to my brain. Before then I was sick with anaemia. I can’t remember the name of the second ailment. But my white blood cell was fighting my red blood cell. I went for a scan and then went back to the hospital. They told me it was DVT Deep Vic Thrombosis. And another blood clot came and I had a stroke.”
With research showing that symptoms of stroke include trouble walking, speaking and understanding and paralysis or numbness of the face, arm or leg, Abenabe maintained that she had none of these. Hence, she still couldn’t fathom how she fell prey to it. “I was not fatigued. My language wasn’t slurred at any time. I just fell.”
