I thought hubby was tired when he yawned a lot but he was having a STROKE
Excessive yawning was a sign of a life-threatening stroke
A WOMAN has told how she thought her husband was yawning because he was tired only to discover he was having a massive stroke.
Margaret Dempster thought partner Brian, 61, was fatigued from working as a cleaner.
But medics told her his excessive yawning signalled he was suffering a life-threatening stroke.
Now the dad has been moved to a care home where he is monitored 24 hours a day.
Margaret, 57, of Glasgow’s Priesthill, said: “I had no idea that Brian yawning would be such a big deal. I thought he was just tired but then it turned out to be much more serious.
“The paramedics said that the yawning meant he was having a stroke. He didn’t seem right but it was just the yawning.”
Dad-of-four Brian was taken to the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital last October. He remained in a ward for five months.
The Stroke Association lists fatigue and tiredness as a side effect of a stroke.
People who have had a stroke may yawn excessively.
Clinicians believe it helps the body to regulate and reduce brain and core temperature. Brian was moved to a care home in February, which Margaret has described as “the toughest time of her life”.
She said: “This came from nowhere. He was a hard-working person before his stroke.
“His right side is badly affected and he tries hard to communicate with his family.
“It’s sad seeing him like that, confined to a bed or a wheelchair. His sons find it hard to visit.
“But Brian is a fighter and he always has been.”
She added: “I’m in my house myself at night and it’s hard because he’s missed a lot. He’s missed our anniversary, Christmas and our kids’ birthdays. We were always together so it’s really hard trying to adjust to everything. I still can’t believe that yawning was the start of this.”
Brian’s family are trying to raise cash to make his life as comfortable as possible and want to buy him an adapted chair that will allow him to socialise with others at his care home and have launched a Go Fund Me page. John Watson, associate director of the Stroke Association in Scotland, warned that signs of a stroke can vary.
He said: “It’s crucial that a stroke is recognised as quickly as possible so patients can get the emergency care they need by calling 999.
“The FAST test can spot some of the most common symptoms of stroke. They are Facial weakness, Arm weakness and Speech problems.
“However, each stroke is different and there can be other signs, so it’s important that if you suspect a stroke, to treat it as a medical emergency – Time to call 999.”
I had no idea yawning would be such a big thing MARGARET DEMPSTER BRIAN’S WIFE ON SYMPTOMS