A paramedic who is 23 years old has been paralyzed after a habit of neck-cracking that seemed harmless turned into a major medical emergency. Natalie Kunicki, who works for the London Ambulance Service, is now telling other people to think again about the risks of moving joints.
Australia’s Kunicki was in bed with a friend, watching a movie after going out the night before. She heard a loud crack as she stretched her neck, but she didn’t think much of it. When she woke up fifteen minutes later, her left leg was stuck. When she tried to stand up, she fell.
Kunicki was rushed to the hospital and had a CT scan, which showed the terrible news that she had had a stroke. What caused it? Her spinal artery, a very important blood vessel in the neck, was broken when she stretched. A blood clot formed in her brain because of the tear, which led to the stroke.
Kunicki was shocked by how bad the news was. “I didn’t feel anything for days,” she remembered. She has started to deal with her new life thanks to the help of friends and family.
Strokes can happen to people of any age, according to the numbers, but many people don’t think they are at risk. “Something as basic as cracking your neck could cause a stroke even in young people.” Kunicki said. She said that during a stroke, brain cells can die every minute, which shows how important it is to notice signs right away, no matter what age you are.
Kunicki also told others to be careful when doing chiropractic movements or working out at the gym with heavy weights. Everything that happened to her is a stark reminder that even small acts can have big effects.
Kunicki admitted that she wasn’t sure if she should call 999 at first because she was afraid that known emergency workers would see her “tipsy,” so she tried to fall back asleep instead.
After tossing and turning, she got over being shy and called for help.
So I didn’t call 999 immediately because I was afraid my friends would come over and see me like that. I called because I was tired but couldn’t fall asleep. The group that showed up didn’t look like they knew each other, which was good.
“At first, they thought I was just another 23-year-old drunk, but I told them I was a paramedic and thought something was wrong.”
“I was lying in bed watching something with a friend when I stretched my neck and heard this ‘crack, crack, crack.'” Kunicki told us what took place. A friend asked if that was my neck. I told them it wasn’t because my joints crack a lot, and I laughed.
“After about 15 minutes, I woke up because I had to go to the bathroom, but I felt a leg on the bed.” I told my friend to move my leg. It seemed strange to me while drunk, but I didn’t think too much of it. Going to the bathroom was hard because my left leg wouldn’t move. I fell to the floor.
“My friend came running over to help me get up.” He thought I was just drunk, but I felt strange and thought I might have been high. Drugs used to rape dates can make you unable to move.
Kunicki made it clear that she doesn’t smoke, drink a lot, or have a family history of strokes. “I was in shock for about three days in the ICU,” she said. I kept to myself and was quiet. I didn’t talk to anyone or even laugh. People said I didn’t seem human and that I seemed robotic.
“Some friends who work in the ambulance service told me, ‘You have one week to get yourself together, or we’ll help you.'” They let me feel sorry for myself for a week, pushing me to improve and do my routines.
“They were great for coming in to help me with therapy.” They helped me reach all of my therapy goals, which I might not have been able to do without their help.
During a three-hour surgery at the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, doctors found Kunicki’s torn artery. They used a stent to fix the artery, but they couldn’t get rid of the clot in her brain. They think it will break down on its own over time.
Kunicki said, “I thought I would feel better after surgery, but my mobility was worse than before.” “At first, my thumb and forefinger wouldn’t move.” My hand could move a little but couldn’t lift my arm or toes.
As part of the tests, the doctors touched my left side with their fingers while my eyes were closed. I didn’t feel anything. It hurt like I had a bad sunburn on my left side.
She said, “When I woke up, I think I scared my consultant.” When she checked on me, I told her, “You should have killed me.”
“Being depressed after a stroke is common because you lose so much freedom and pride.” A nurse had to help me take a shower while I was in a wheelchair. Who the heck needs help with that at age 23? It seemed strange.
After regaining movement and feeling, Kunicki started feeling “much better.” She is now working to make more people aware of how young people can have strokes. Even though she works in health care, she was shocked to learn how common strokes are in younger people.
“In the past, I’ve helped a lot of people who had strokes. Most of the time, older people in their 70s or 80s were the victims”. But mine was one in a million. “Younger people actually get ruptured vertebral arteries all the time,” she said.
“They could happen while someone is working out or at the gym.” Kids can also have strokes. I thought I knew better as a worker, but I didn’t. It shocked me.
“Usually, if you come to help a young person, you wouldn’t think right away that they were having a stroke.” As a paramedic, I was lucky the crew paid attention to my worries.
“It’s very important for me to get the word out that anyone can have a stroke.”
Medical News Today says a stroke happens when a brain blood vessel breaks or gets stopped. This stops blood from getting to brain cells and kills them. One in seven strokes happen to adults ages 15 to 49, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Older people are more likely to have strokes.