This past weekend, Criminal Court Judge Cheryl Blackburn stopped by the Nashville Fire Department to say thank you.
In May, she had a major stroke while at work in the courthouse. The fire department responded quickly, and she was at Vanderbilt University Medical Center within the hour. She was able to thank the medics who transported her that day.
But Blackburn has more people to thank than just the fire department.
Criminal Court Judge Angelita Blackshear Dalton was the one who saw the signs of a stroke when Blackburn came to her office May 4.
“There was this incessant yawning that just caught me off guard,” Dalton said.
Blackburn had a face mask on, but Dalton began to notice symptoms such as a fluttering left eye and incoherent speech.
Dalton and her assistant had Blackburn take off her mask and began assessing her different symptoms. They realized that the fingers on her left hand weren’t moving as easily as on her right hand.
Dalton quickly realized that these signs were symptoms of a stroke. Her assistant called 911, and the fire department arrived within 10 minutes.
Blackburn, however, felt normal, she said. She thought when you had a stroke you had a large headache; however, she’s learned that’s not always true.
Blackburn had the stroke around 1:30 p.m. By 5 p.m., she was out of surgery, and two days later she was out of the hospital. The next week, she was back in the office.
But this speedy recovery is not indicative of a small incident. Blackburn described it as life threatening. She underwent a thrombectomy, a procedure to remove blood clots from arteries and veins.
Blackburn credits the quick acting by Dalton and her assistant for saving her life.
“Timing is so important,” Dalton said of strokes.
Blackburn and Dalton want people to know the warning signs of strokes.
“If you don’t know the signs of the stroke, please learn because it could save a life,” Dalton said.
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September 28, 2021 at 05:30PM
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Judge saved colleague's life by knowing stroke signs - Main Street Nashville
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