Woman, 23, has been left wheelchair bound after doctors dismissed her stroke symptoms as anxiety 

A woman says she has been left reliant on a wheelchair after doctors dismissed her stroke symptoms as anxiety.

Drewy NovaClara Curious felt numb while driving with her husband Avery in June last year.

The now 23-year-old went to hospital, where doctors spent hours trying to uncover what was wrong.

They eventually sent her home, saying she was too young to have a stroke and was probably just anxious.

Refusing to accept this diagnosis, Mrs Curious, of Toronto, went to another hospital, where she was diagnosed with ischaemic stroke. 

The ‘wasted’ hours at the first hospital meant she had not been treated quickly enough, leaving Mrs Curious unable to walk or talk.

Being deaf, she normally communicated through sign language. During her recovery process, she had to relearn how to sign with her right hand, whereas she maintained her ability to fluently communicate with her left. She claims she is still dependent on a wheelchair to move around now.

Mrs Curious was on the way home from a day at a museum with her husband when her symptoms appeared.

On their way to the hospital, Mrs Curious managed to stay calm. ‘I already knew I was having a stroke, so I didn’t need to be informed of it,’ she said. 

However, the medics she saw were less confident of the diagnosis and kept her waiting for hours. 

‘The first doctors I saw diagnosed it as anxiety and did no treatment whatsoever,’ Mrs Curious said.     

‘They said I was too young to have a stroke and discharged me. They wasted hours of my time and had caused me to miss the time window for treatment.’

Once discharged, Mrs Curious immediately went to another hospital, where she was diagnosed.

Doctors administered treatments that dissolved the blood clot that was blocking oxygen to her brain. She was also given blood pressure drugs. 

‘When I realised the stroke was over and I had survived, the first emotion was relief,’ she said. ‘Then confusion, why did it happen?’ 

The cause of Mrs Curious’ ischaemic stroke is unclear. However, the health scare has been linked to smoking, high blood pressure, diabetes and excessive alcohol intake. While initially they had no cause of her stroke, they soon found out that the cause was Elhers Danlos syndrome, which causes the collagen in her body to be made incorrectly, effecting the entire body particularly the joints.

Mrs Curious initially relied on her husband to do almost everything for her, but is slowly regaining her independence. 

‘The toughest part was just learning how to do everything again,’ she said. ‘The only family I have is my husband. 

‘I’ve always been a very independent person. He now knows if I need help, I’ll ask for it. But otherwise, I can do things myself.’

Mrs Curious also battled with pitying stares from strangers. ‘I get stared at a lot,’ she said. ‘So, I give them something a little more fun to stare at.’

Mrs Curious has decorated her wheelchair, nicknamed Opal, with lights and often wears ‘bold’ clothes. 

‘When people see my light up wheelchair, they always say, “That’s so cool”,’ she said. ‘I have a galaxy print license plate on the back of my chair with my name on it.

‘I decorate all of my mobility aids and wear crazy, fun make-up and bold outfits.’ 

Mrs Curious is speaking out to raise awareness strokes can occur at any age and the ordeal does not have to ruin your life.

‘I dance wild and free whenever I have the opportunity, and I love spinning wheelies,’ she said. ‘I don’t do boring. Fabulous is way more fun.  

‘You don’t need to give up fun, hanging out with friends, learning, you don’t have to give up on anything.

‘You just have to learn how to do some things differently and sometimes that can be quite fun. I like to say, “Never forget fun”.’