Sharing a personal health story to help others in the future
By Erie County Executive Mark C. Poloncarz
Erie County Executive Mark C. Poloncarz
I recently had a health scare that I thought could be related to a stroke. It turned out it was a mild case of Bell’s Palsy. I am doing well now but I feel it is important to share publicly the symptoms of a stroke and what everyone should look for if you think you or someone you know recently suffered a stroke.
In my situation I had started to feel and see droopiness on the right side of my face, including my mouth, as well as an unusual amount of tears in my right eye. I was worried I might have had a stroke so I contacted my doctor who said my symptoms sounded like Bell’s Palsy but that to rule out a stroke I needed to get to a hospital. My fiancée took me to the Buffalo General Hospital Emergency Department and the excellent team from the Gates Vascular Institute performed several tests on me.
Because the symptoms of a stroke are very similar to Bell’s Palsy, you need to act fast to rule out a stroke. As Kaleida Health Chief Medical Officer Dr. Michael Mineo said during a press conference I held earlier this month, you need to BE FAST when the same symptoms I had occur for you. That means to look for:
B - Balance changes
E - Eye changes
F - Facial Droop
A - Arms weakness and numbness
S - Slurred speech
T - Time to Act
I thank the team at the Gates Vascular Institute for their incredible work during my emergency visit, as well as my primary care physician Dr. Howard Sperry for his response. At Gates, I received the same level of care as anyone else with the same symptoms would get. As they say in their public service announcements it is crucial to "Get to Gates" because they are the best at diagnosing strokes and identifying the symptoms of other brain malfunctions. No matter what day it is or how busy you may think you are, you should immediately go to a hospital if you have similar symptoms.
On another matter, Election Day is less than one month away. It’s important for everyone to be reminded of the options for casting your ballot for the Nov. 4 general election. Voting by absentee ballot allows residents who may be on vacation, currently deployed in the military or otherwise unable to visit their normal polling place on Election Day to still have their vote counted. Erie County residents can request an absentee ballot online at www.elections.erie.gov or in person at the Erie County Board of Elections, located at 134 W. Eagle St. in Buffalo. If you have specific questions about the absentee ballot process, please call 716-858-7818. Additionally, early in-person voting will be held across the county starting Oct. 25.
It’s crucial that everyone who is eligible participates in this important democratic process and exercises their right to vote in elections that will determine who represents you. If you have questions about your eligibility to vote, where your polling place is located or anything else concerning voting in Erie County, visit www.elections.erie.gov or call 716-858-8891.