Today’s world is a continuous struggle against time. As a result, we rarely get an opportunity to dedicate time and effort towards maintaining our physical and emotional health. After years of neglect, we suffer some sort of disastrous health consequence which is when we are forced to pay more attention to ourselves. Chandler Plante had a similar experience. However, in her case, it was a failure on the part of the healthcare system, as well. She suffered a stroke, but its misdiagnosis led to life-changing consequences. Fortunately, she is healthy now!
Chandler was a POPSUGAR assistant editor and former PEOPLE employee. Her early 20s were filled with enthusiasm and positivity, hoping to achieve all she could in her career. Unfortunately, in December 2020, Chandler encountered a completely unexpected difficulty – a health problem, she contracted Covid-19. Furthermore, her health got weird afterward. According to a PEOPLE exclusive article, her symptoms were mysterious and alarming. It included severe migraines, numbness in her forearms and hands, (and most alarmingly) a period when her tongue was paralyzed along with her left arm being numb.
The Fight To Identify The Stroke
As understood, medical diagnoses are not easy. Moreover, in today’s world, a lot of symptoms are initially chalked up to a case of severe anxiety. However, this initial diagnosis was tragically incorrect. The truth was that Chandler had suffered an ischemic stroke in March. The misdiagnosis meant that further strokes had no chance of being prevented. In June, she suffered a second stroke.
This time around, the stroke was identified. Further detailed scans revealed critically stenosed internal carotid arteries. For someone of Chandler’s age, the extent of the damage was extreme. The misfortune did not stop there. In November 2021, further scans discovered a sizable mass sitting behind her eyeball. At first, it was believed to be a kind of brain tumor – a meningioma. Chandler and her family were left afraid and uncertain of the future. Then, the worst took place: she lost sight in her right eye permanently. Bear in mind that it was the height of the Coronavirus pandemic, so hospitals were already overwhelmed. An emergency of this stature was simply terrifying for Chandler.
Since then, Chandler’s spirit has remained indomitable. She shared her experience in the hopes that people would learn about and be inspired by her struggle against medical misfortune. Two of the most important lessons from her story are how important medical advocacy is, and how unpredictable health can be. You never really know what’s going on in your body, unless you do regular check-ups. Furthermore, Chandler’s story also shows how easily physical illnesses can be misdiagnosed as psychological problems. In the end, this misdiagnosis cost Chandler her vision due to delayed treatment. It also stands as an example of how today’s medicine usually chooses either physical or psychological causes as the initial diagnosis, seldom both.
@chanplante #stitch with @Susi also, the pesto in the hospital was not it 😂🫶 #partialblindness #chronicillness #strokesurvivor #longcovid ♬ original sound – CHAN
Lessons To Be Learned
The medical industry has repeatedly faced the complaint of oversimplifying symptoms without examining the whole person. Chandler’s case was another example. This mistake highlights how important holistic healthcare is. It takes into account not just the physical but also the mental, spiritual, and emotional state of the patient. For example, in the case of Chandler, the struggle with her physical ailments indubitably had an immense impact on her mental well-being. After all, the stress from a misdiagnosis, fear of losing vision, and emotional upheaval from health difficulties are severe.
The story also highlights a major healthcare issue: misdiagnosis. Misdiagnosis is not uncommon. Failure to provide a complete patient history, time limits in clinical settings, or prejudices might negatively affect clinical judgment. Chandler’s severe symptoms of stroke were misdiagnosed as anxiety. It also showed that serious health conditions can also be quite easily neglected.
If anything, Chandler’s experience teaches us to always go for a second opinion. Patients, by and large, have to learn about asking about their health and pressing for thorough medical exams. We must explore, be proactive, and question medical assessments that don’t match our symptoms. The best-case scenario is a healthcare system that will focus on each patient on a case-by-case basis. A system where doctors have time and resources to investigate a patient’s complaints and interdisciplinary care should be the norm. Unfortunately, since that is not realistic at this point, we must ensure we get this treatment as patients.
In Conclusion
The misdiagnosed stroke story of Chandler and her resilience shows the power of community support and positivity, and not just medical challenges. Her attitude and online community support helped her overcome adversities. Chandler’s positive outlook on her health shows its power. Despite her illness, she found humor and joy. This positive mindset can change how we handle life’s hardest issues, not merely cope with them. Positive thinking doesn’t cure medical ailments, but it can improve our quality of life and mental health.
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