Real Housewives of Orange County star Heather Dubrow and her husband Dr. Terry Dubrow had a scare last week when Terry experienced a medical emergency while having dinner with their son Nick at The Ivy. Heather noticed Terry slurring his speech and despite his insistence that he was fine, she called 911. Paramedics arrived and checked Terry out, but Heather still insisted that he go to the hospital. Terry stubbornly refused and called an Uber instead. Heather immediately contacted all of Terry’s doctor acquaintances and they urged him to go to the ER. Terry finally relented and went to the emergency room where doctors discovered he had experienced a transient ischemic attack (TIA). This is when the flow of blood to the brain is briefly interrupted and can cause stroke-like symptoms. In Terry’s case, they found he had a patent foramen ovale (PFO), a hole in his heart that didn’t close properly after birth. It is believed that a blood clot had traveled through the PFO and caused the TIA. Fortunately, they were able to close the hole immediately and Terry is already back to normal.
Terry’s TIA was a warning sign for something more serious, and if Heather hadn’t insisted on him going to the hospital, they may not have discovered his heart condition until it was too late. Heather expressed her gratitude that Terry is okay and emphasized that the situation could have gone very differently.
This incident raises the question: would others know to seek medical assistance if something similar happened to a family member? It is important to recognize the signs and symptoms of a stroke, as time is of the essence in seeking treatment. Symptoms can include sudden confusion or difficulty speaking, sudden numbness or weakness in the face, arm, or leg (especially on one side of the body), sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes, sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination, and sudden severe headache with no known cause.
In Terry Dubrow’s case, his slurred speech was a sign that something was wrong and could have been easily dismissed. It is important to trust one’s instincts and seek medical help when needed. In Terry’s case, the medical team was able to identify the cause of his TIA and take immediate action to prevent further complications. Without Heather’s insistence on him going to the hospital, Terry may not have known about his heart condition until it was too late.
It is always better to be safe than sorry when it comes to medical emergencies. Trusting one’s instincts and seeking medical assistance can potentially save a life. Terry Dubrow’s experience serves as a reminder to take any symptoms seriously and seek immediate medical attention if necessary.
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