When you think of a stroke survivor, you don’t usually picture a 24-year-old woman in labor. But that’s exactly where Paige Overcash found herself—mid-delivery, fighting high blood pressure and unknowingly living through a hemorrhagic stroke.
In this episode of Stroke Talks, Paige joins Sybil Jones to share her deeply personal and powerful stroke story. As two military spouses living in Bahrain and fellow stroke warriors, they keep it real about recovery, motherhood, and the invisible scars that stroke often leaves behind.
A Stroke in the Delivery Room
Paige’s stroke journey began during what was supposed to be a routine delivery. At 36.5 weeks pregnant, her blood pressure spiked past 200 despite medication and close monitoring. Although she avoided a seizure, her delivery became urgent—and traumatic.
After giving birth, Paige mentioned that something felt off with her vision. Her doctor acted quickly, ordering an MRI. That scan revealed she had suffered a hemorrhagic stroke during labor—caused by dangerously high blood pressure brought on by pregnancy.
“It looked like I had a thumbprint on my eye,” Paige recalls. That visual distortion was her first and only major clue that something wasn’t right.
Navigating Stroke Recovery as a New Mom
Paige was transferred by ambulance two hours away to San Francisco, while her newborn remained in the NICU back in Monterey. Though she was quickly discharged, her blood pressure remained unstable, and she was soon back in the hospital, this time with her baby nearby.
Recovery at home came with its own challenges—swelling, ongoing medication, and a vision that didn’t fully bounce back. But for Paige, the hardest part wasn’t always physical.
“I didn’t go through therapy because I healed fairly quickly, but the mental aspect of recovery? That’s where I struggled the most,” she shared.
The Mental Recovery We Don’t Talk About Enough
Both Sybil and Paige agree—stroke recovery isn’t just physical. There’s a heavy emotional and mental burden that lingers long after discharge papers are signed.
Anxiety, confusion, memory gaps, and overwhelming mental fog became part of their everyday lives. “I used to be outgoing and confident,” Sybil shared. “Now I wake up feeling buzzed. Like my brain’s still trying to catch up with the rest of me.”
Paige echoed those feelings:
“I was never an anxious person before. But after my stroke—and becoming a mom the way I did—my anxiety got worse. It rewired something in me.”
Stroke Isn’t Always What You Think It Looks Like
One of the most important takeaways from Paige’s story? Strokes don’t always come with visible signs. There was no slurred speech, facial droop, or immediate paralysis in her case. Her stroke was internal—an invisible emergency that could’ve been missed without a doctor who listened and looked closer.
It’s a crucial reminder that the acronym BE FAST (Balance, Eyes, Face, Arms, Speech, Time) can help—but not all strokes follow that script.
Words of Encouragement for Other Stroke Warriors
Paige offers this advice to fellow survivors:
“Take it one day at a time. Focus on what you can do, not what you can’t. It’s hard, but worth it.”
And for family members or caregivers?
“Acknowledge that it’s a big deal—even if your loved one ‘looks fine.’ Stroke is a silent trauma. Your support matters more than you know.”
Why We Share These Stories
Here at Stroke Talks, our mission is to raise awareness, offer hope, and build community through real, raw, and relatable stories.
🙋🏽♀️ Want to share your stroke journey with us? Click here to tell your story.
🧠 Because sharing stroke stories saves lives.
