Courtney was 18 years old when she had a massive stroke that almost killed her. One minute she was on vacation, the next she was being life-flighted and told something was seriously wrong. Doctors later discovered sepsis and two holes in her heart she never knew existed.

Courtney's Links:

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/courtney_fullmer?igsh=c2w1ZGU2OGRqcWds&utm_source=qr

Tiktok:

https://www.tiktok.com/@courtneyfullmer?_r=1&_t=ZT-92w7XmzRc33

Youtube:

https://youtube.com/@courtney.fullmer?si=3N9SCj82LivAb9og

Time Stamps:

00:00:00 – What does it feel like to have a stroke at 18 years old?

00:01:10 – Can you be perfectly healthy and still have a stroke?

00:02:35 – What was life like right before a medical emergency at a young age?

00:04:55 – How grief and emotional stress impact the body physically

00:07:15 – What are the earliest stroke symptoms most people ignore?

00:09:45 – How do you know when something is seriously wrong with your body?

00:12:30 – Why young people dismiss major health warning signs

00:15:45 – Can physical activity or water sports trigger a stroke?

00:17:50 – What does a stroke feel like while it’s happening in real time?

00:19:20 – What happens when one side of your body suddenly stops working?

00:20:40 – What does it feel like when you can’t speak but know what you want to say?

00:22:45 – Can you pass out during a stroke and not realize it?

00:24:30 – How do people recognize stroke symptoms in an emergency?

00:26:45 – Why timing matters so much during a medical emergency

00:28:50 – How lack of cell service almost delayed life-saving care

00:31:30 – What happens when doctors don’t immediately know the cause of a stroke?

00:34:55 – What is LifeFlight and when is it used in emergencies?

00:38:20 – How faith and spirituality can show up during medical trauma

00:41:40 – When do stroke symptoms fully register mentally?

00:44:10 – Why losing the ability to speak is more terrifying than pain

00:46:45 – What it’s like arriving at the ER as an 18-year-old stroke patient

00:51:00 – Can birth control cause blood clots and strokes?

00:53:10 – What is an ischemic stroke vs a hemorrhagic stroke?

00:55:25 – Why stroke medication has a strict time window

00:58:50 – What recovery really looks like after a stroke at a young age

01:02:30 – How long does stroke rehab take for speech and movement?

01:07:45 – What people don’t understand about relearning how to talk and swallow

01:12:40 – How a stroke changes your identity and sense of self

01:18:30 – The mental health aftermath of surviving a stroke young

01:25:10 – What life looks like years after a traumatic medical event

01:31:45 – How long-term rehab reshapes patience, resilience, and hope

01:39:20 – What surviving a stroke teaches you about life and priorities

01:47:30 – What she wants young people to know about listening to their bodies

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