Strokes are one of the most common age-related illnesses, but they can strike when people are younger. Today it was announced that Illinois' Senator Mark Kirk suffered a stroke over the weekend and while at age 52, he was healthy (minus the stress that comes with being a Senator), he was able to have surgery to relieve swelling on his brain.
Senator Kirk's ischemic stroke occurs when a blood vessel that sends blood to the brain gets blocked. It is the most common type of stroke. It can result in paralysis suffered on one side of the body. Senator Kirk is experiencing some movement issues with the left side of his body, including his arm, leg and face.
The State of the Union speech is tonight, and Illinois residents will be without Senator Kirk in the chambers. He replaced Senator Barack Obama's seat, winning in an election after the former Illinois Governor (who is on his way to prison), first tried to sell the seat.
We wish Senator Kirk well in his recovery. Many seniors, age 65 and older, who are on Medicare or Medicaid health insurance, are transfered from a hospital to a nursing home for recovery rehabilitation after a stroke. You can view nursing home costs and quality ratings on Caregiverlist.
stroke, seniorcare, nursinghome