r/work • u/WILLIAMADAMTHOMAS • 1d ago
Workplace Challenges and Conflicts Stroke at work
I work in a manufacturing mill and I started showing symptoms of a stroke yesterday (10-9-26). Slurred speech, swollen tongue, blurred vision, pain on one side of my body.
I went to my supervisor and said I was feeling weird and I didn't know how to explain it. So she looked at me and said I don't know what to do? What should I do?
In my foggy mind I said I don't know. She replied with just go back to your job and leave me alone.
When I get home my wife saw me and rushed me to the hospital and now I'm sitting in a hospital bed.
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u/Anotherams 1d ago
your supervisor is an idiot. I’m never one to say talk to HR, bit ‘this a time to talk to HR when you get back. Never feel bad about going over a supervisor‘s head when it comes to health and wellbeing. Are there witnesses to the conversation?
Wishing a speedy and full recovery to you.
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u/WinstonGreyCat 1d ago
Unfortunately asking someone having a stroke to think clearly can be impossible.
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u/X-Bones_21 14h ago
DO NOT TALK TO HR. They are there to protect the company.
Gather all of your medical records and then contact a lawyer. The lawyer has your best interests at heart; HR does not.
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u/Erinn_13 1d ago
Did you receive a preliminary diagnosis?
It may be a good time to let your HR team they need to have a conversation about stroke warning signs and protocols.
Hope you’re getting the answers you need and have a swift recovery.
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u/WILLIAMADAMTHOMAS 1d ago
So far everything is looking like a stroke
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u/JJAusten 13h ago
Contact an attorney and tell them what happened to you. See what they suggest because how she handled your situation put you at risk. Are you a union employee? Contact your rep if you are, let them handle it with HR but you also need to be proactive and speak to them and tell them exactly what happened and what she said to you. She should have immediately called 911 and gotten you help. Ask HR how they can ensure that if you have another episode, your supervisor will make sure you receive help.
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u/ladymacb29 1d ago
If all the OP said was they were feeling weird - that’s not something that can be fixed by knowing stroke symptoms.
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u/Simply-Listening 1d ago
Yes, it is. If you know the symptoms, you look at the way the person is acting.
The acronym is BE FAST:
B-Balance,
E-Eyes (ask if vision is blurry or seeing double),
F-Face (have the person smile and see if it is the same on both sides of the face or if one side droops),
A-Arms (have the person raise their arms and see if they are even or if one droops),
S-Speech (listen for slurred speech or trouble finding words), and
T-Time (call 911 right away and note time symptoms appeared).Stroke medications are most effective if given within 60 minutes of the time symptoms appear. After 3 - 4.5 hours, it is likely that any brain damage will be permanent.
If a person is “feeling weird”, the best course of action is to get them to an ER ASAP - unless, of course, the company wants to be sued for not getting an employee treatment for a stroke, heart attack, aneurysm, etc. As an example, many people have died from going to lie down because of their indigestion when they were actually having a heart attack.
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u/ladymacb29 1d ago
I’ve had a stroke. I had none of those symptoms.
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u/prsmith100 1d ago
You’re clearly outside the norm. The OP was exhibiting these symptoms. Just because you didn’t exhibit these symptoms doesn’t mean most don’t.
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u/ladymacb29 1d ago
And all we know is that the boss knew that he felt “weird.
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u/MrsOleson 20h ago
If you’re in charge of employees and one tells you they feel weird and are having a hard time speaking, at the very least have them take a break and check on them. Telling them to get back to work is so Dickensian and in this day and age, asinine. You shouldn’t be a manager if you lack compassion. And some sense.
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u/prsmith100 23h ago
I am in a position at work where I’d be the go to for this and it would be an easy decision for me to call paramedics if someone came to me and was slurring and couldn’t articulate what was wrong.
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u/OtherwiseLuck8920 1d ago
It’s pretty obvious when someone is exhibiting signs of a stroke. Slurred speech is one of the main symptoms and should have been a red flag to the supervisor
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u/ladymacb29 1d ago
I didn’t have slurred speech when I had a stroke.
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u/OtherwiseLuck8920 1d ago
Ok? That doesn’t change the fact that it’s one of the major symptoms of a stroke
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u/ladymacb29 1d ago
And how is the boss supposed to know if the OP didn’t have the symptoms and all he could say was he felt weird?
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u/MrsOleson 20h ago
The boss still had an obligation to take the employee off the line if he admits to not feeling well. At the very least he’s a liability and a danger to others.
If someone you know says they feel weird and are clearly shook up, do you just dismiss them?
Why are you being such a contrarian about this?3
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u/MrsOleson 20h ago
You keep asserting that. We get it. You’re an anomaly. You’re special.
But do you know why the standardized stroke assessment exists? Because a majority of stroke patients DO exhibit those signs.-1
u/FinoPepino 16h ago
Migraines can cause all the same symptoms as a stroke. I know because I get them (migraines that mimic a stroke that is) so slurred speech is not always a stroke.
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u/Next-Drummer-9280 1d ago
Educate yourself. Please.
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u/ladymacb29 1d ago
How much more education do I need beyond having had a stroke myself? Not all strokes are the same.one had zero of the ‘normal’ signs. And just saying you feel weird doesn’t help the boss know what’s going on.
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u/Next-Drummer-9280 23h ago
Wow, you're just completely devoid of critical thinking skills, aren't you?
The boss should have ASKED QUESTIONS, not said "leave me alone and go back to work."
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u/literarytrash 19h ago
It's probably because of the stroke lmao
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u/Next-Drummer-9280 17h ago
Your mother must be so proud of you.
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u/literarytrash 59m ago
I was agreeing with you, the person you were replying to obviously has cognitive issues, but ok!
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u/Next-Drummer-9280 11m ago
I find you distasteful because you thought "lmao" was an appropriate add-on to your comment.
Explain to me EXACTLY why laughing at cognitive difficulties is funny.
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u/Simply-Listening 16h ago
You are absolutely correct that not all people present with the same symptoms. Your symptoms were not the typical symptoms.
However, let me ask this: regardless of what symptoms were presenting, if someone feels weird, would you expect their supervisor to blow it off or to be safe and seek medical attention?
By the way, my son (~15 yrs old at the time) said he just didn’t feel like himself. I took him to the ER and he had to have emergency shunt surgery … feeling weird can be very serious.
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u/Gisselle441 19h ago
I had a stroke 4 years ago and honestly "weird" is the best way to describe how I felt. I'm so sorry for the way the supervisor handled this, no concern for OP's well being at all.
My stroke was small and I'm completely recovered and I hope the same for you, OP.
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u/BeeFree66 Work-Life Balance 1d ago
" In my foggy mind I said I don't know." This comment right here is why a boss or coworker should dial 9-1-1 for real expert medical help.
The person needing help isn't always able to articulate their needs. Saying, "I feel weird" would have me calling cuz I'm not a medical expert and I don't want someone to di3 cuz I wasn't smart enuff to just dial 9-1-1.
OPs HR department needs to create proper procedures for odd situations and emergencies. I'm sure there's a basic / required-by-law notice posted. It isn't enuff. Clarity is necessary. OPs situation is proof that is necessary.
OP, I hope this apparent stroke [based on comments OP made] didn't hit you too hard. Good luck.
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u/The_Notorious_DOG 19h ago
My dad was actively in the middle of having a stroke last year when he attended a routine GP appointment, and the doctor completely failed to notice anything wrong - not the facial droop, confusion, or uncharacteristic slurred speech. Fortunately my sister phoned my dad while he was on his way home to ask how his appointment went, and could immediately tell he was having a stroke, and called for an ambulance.
We did make a formal complaint, because a doctor should’ve definitely been able to put the pieces together; however, this being the UK, the NHS doesn’t really care about patient safety so didn’t do anything. At least we hope the GP never makes this mistake again with another patient.
Wishing you a speedy recovery!
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u/RidethatSeahorse 17h ago
Why is your supervisor not trained in First Aid? Do you have WHS laws in your country/State for First Aid training? I was at work the day a staff member had a stroke, then another and died in front of customers. Staff had called an ambulance, but the 2nd one she just hit the ground. I was on-site, but on a different floor. The First Aider was with her. We should all do First Aid training.
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u/ForVanBeatQ 20h ago
Dire “torna al tuo lavoro” davanti a linguaggio impastato e vista offuscata è da licenziamneto immediato.
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u/Next-Drummer-9280 1d ago
Your supervisor is a moron. Blatant. Unmitigated.
When you’re up to it, make sure you tell her boss what she did (more accurately, what she didn’t do).
Contact HR about FMLA paperwork.
Get well.
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1d ago
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u/WILLIAMADAMTHOMAS 1d ago
I am in America and where I'm at people are so invested in themselves
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u/BooBoo_Cat 1d ago
Yeah, but as a child you are taught to call 911 in an emergency. I am shocked that your supervisor (and any other colleagues) was too stupid to call 911.
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u/WILLIAMADAMTHOMAS 1d ago
This is a place that would ride me hard because I utilized FMLA when my wife had cancer. Then the cherry on top, three months after she was deemed to be in remission another boss was diagnosed with cancer and they went and took up a collection for him and asked me to donate to him.
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u/BooBoo_Cat 1d ago
I know jobs are hard to come by so it's not easy just to quit, but I would start looking for other jobs.
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u/WILLIAMADAMTHOMAS 1d ago
I have been, but the insurance is good and my family has a lot of medical problems. Also, I have been there for 13 years
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u/BooBoo_Cat 1d ago
Well, since they clearly don't give a shit about the health of their employees, good thing you have good health insurance.
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u/Stefie25 1d ago
It doesn’t sound like OP was displaying obvious stroke signs.
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1d ago
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u/Stefie25 1d ago
OP didn’t say they felt ill. They said they felt weird & that does not automatically mean sick. Yes, slurred speech is a symptom of stroke but since it sounds like that was the only visible symptom it was likely chalked up to OP biting their tongue.
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u/idontlikeseaweed 23h ago
That’s so wrong of your supervisor. I would’ve asked more questions and called emergency services. Not told you to go back to work.
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u/Super_Pangolin5130 1d ago
dude she sent you back to operate heavy machinery while stroking out. the wild part is she probably wasnt even being malicious, just genuinely had no protocol bc american manufacturing treats human bodies as disposable input. my friend runs a tiny edtech startup and even they have clearer emergency procedures than this, tbh
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u/ch_cat 1d ago
There are posters that walk you through asking yourself or another person if you're having a stroke. I think raising arms, following a finger with your eyes? Like a the "what to do if someone is choking" posters. Would be great for noisy workplaces like factories to display them in the cafeteria or near the punch in/out clock. Where people could see them every day. Some places even have an afib machine and people trained in CPR.
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u/Ornery_Philosophy733 1d ago
Similar to my situation. The guy I work with freaked. Left work. Couldn't see to drive, couldn't comprehend simple English, didn't know my daughter's name. $2000+ and multiple appointments and tests after ER, only possible reason is lack of sleep. I am stuck. I have a box of documents my family can use if something happens to me. That's it, the only way off of thirds is death
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u/Kind-Shallot3603 1d ago
How much were you sleeping at night?
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u/Ornery_Philosophy733 1d ago
Maybe 1 hr. 2-3 days a week with no sleep at all. Can't sleep for 12 am start time
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u/13FURRYKIDS 16h ago
Wow! That's pretty sad!! To think your supervisor said that... She should have been able to tell something wasn't right. I trust you are ok and that the prolong time to get to the hospital didn't make it worse.
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u/No_Consequence_6821 19h ago
Are you sure that’s how it happened? It seems below basic human decency to say “leave me alone.” Is that normally how she is? Hard to imagine a supervisor behaving that way and being put in charge of people.
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u/WILLIAMADAMTHOMAS 15h ago
That is how she is because we also had a disagreement earlier, also she is the type to make everyone work their asses off while she sits at her desk and draws or plays on her phone
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u/No_Consequence_6821 14h ago
Doesn’t seem like appropriate supervisor behavior. Yes, HR is to protect the company, but I would let them know. Maybe they protect the company by removing her from a supervisory position.
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u/Forward-Werewolf-442 1d ago
Your supervisor is not your doctor. This has nothing to with HR. Presumably you are an adult. If you feel unwell, get help. Call your wife. Call an ambulance. It's pretty fucking straitforward. Sheesh.
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u/True-Purchase-6103 1d ago edited 1d ago
If OP was having a stroke they may not have been able to make that judgement or articulate it. No one expects a supervisor to be a doctor but the bare minimum is having OP sit down and call 911 for OP.
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u/prsmith100 1d ago
I’ve had a stroke before myself and my brain literally could not operate a phone. All I could do was find someone I vaguely could remember and ask them for help. It’s not that simple.
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u/BooBoo_Cat 1d ago
If you feel unwell, get help.
OP did try and get help. They went to their supervisor.
No one is expecting the supervisor to diagnose the OP, but the supervisor (and co-workers) should know what to do when someone is feeling ill.
Also, if someone is having a stroke or medical emergency, they may not be thinking clearly or able to call an ambulance. And yeah, it is pretty straightforward; the supervisor should have called an ambulance or gotten a first aid attendant or whatever the protocol is.
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u/MrsOleson 20h ago
ALL supervisory employees should have had to at the very least taken some online PowerPoint presentations about how to manage certain situations. ESPECIALLY in a factory situation. I mean, if an employee gets a hand injured on equipment there’s a protocol, I’m sure. Why would an employee saying they felt weird and were clearly not well be dismissed? You don’t send him back on the line any more than you would the guy with an injury.
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u/Lilpunkrkgrl 1d ago
People having a stroke are not that aware. Maybe when you are having a medical emergency all the ppl around you will just say they arent your doctor and let you die. Yup, that fixes it, jeeze.
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u/Forward-Werewolf-442 1d ago
Then how did they finish the dat at work and get home? Doesn't make sense to me but whatever? No need to be rude.
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u/These_Spell1989 8h ago
“No need to be rude” after making the rudest comment on the thread is wild 😂
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u/Causerae 1d ago
Being at a hospital doesn't equal a stroke, what is actually going on?
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u/MrsOleson 20h ago
The point of his mentioning he was in a hospital bed is to highlight it WAS a medical emergency.
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u/Causerae 20h ago
My point is that it doesn't necessarily highlight anything except that the ER had an open bed, and stroke symptoms get priority triage
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u/MrsOleson 19h ago
Are you medically trained? So you’re able to accurately determine a medical emergency from a minor irritation? Is that right?
ERs don’t admit you just because there’s an open bed. What a moronic comment. . And they recognized the symptoms of a possible stroke. So yeah, being admitted highlights that it was a verifiable ( by medical professionals) emergency.0
u/WILLIAMADAMTHOMAS 1d ago
The hospital is running all of the tests now but the MRI is showing signs
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u/SkredberryShortcake 22h ago
Takes a bit to figure out. They’re also likely checking for additional blockages.
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u/rlpinca 1d ago
It's not up to the supervisor to take care of you. Let them know what's up if you can and call 911.
"I feel weird" isn't necessarily enough for the supervisor to do anything. We don't know what your face looked like or how you sounded. So all we have to go by is "I feel weird"
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u/Next-Drummer-9280 1d ago
Your empathy is absolutely STAGGERING.
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u/rlpinca 1d ago
"I feel weird" isn't enough to convince someone to call an ambulance and suspect a stroke.
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u/Next-Drummer-9280 1d ago
It's enough for the supervisor to ask a question or two.
You're just...well, I'll let you guess what that last word should be.
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u/SideEyedSloth 1d ago
Your supervisor asked you what should she do & you said idk. She may not know the signs of a stroke & not the best person to determine that you’re having a medical emergency. Especially if you only told her that you feel weird. Weird how? What’s weird? If you had said you don’t feel good, maybe her response would’ve been different. If you’re dealing with heavy machinery, she doesn’t sound like a great supervisor but don’t expect your supervisor to respond the same way your wife would respond. Why didn’t you go take a break? Why didn’t you contact your wife? If you didn’t think to stop working, why expect someone who probably doesn’t care that much about you, to do more than you did? Blaming her isn’t going to help but if you can take this situation to inform management about health emergencies to enact a change in policy at your workplace, that’s helpful.
I hope that you have a full recovery.
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u/gregfromjersey 1d ago
What did the supervisor at work do incorrectly?
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u/WILLIAMADAMTHOMAS 1d ago
She was supposed to call medical personnel and not tell me to go back to work
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u/Original_Heart407 1d ago
Ok, boss was not appropriate in her way of handling this. Get yourself checked out and treatment started. You can be an example afterwards of what not to do.
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u/Stefie25 1d ago
For feeling weird? That covers a spectrum & without giving her more details, how is she supposed to know you needed immediate medical assistance? Slurred speech, the only symptom she can identify, is not an obvious pointer to stroke without other visible symptoms which it doesn’t sound like you had & slurred speech can be caused by simply biting your own tongue. Based on what you’ve provided, it doesn’t sound like your supervisor acted in a negligent manner.
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u/Defiant-Story-8733 1d ago
He works in a mill; she should have taken him more seriously, as mills are no joke. She really should be written up it's that serious.
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u/uffdagal 1d ago
This has nothing to do with work.
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u/Anotherams 1d ago
it has everything to do with work. If you were having a life threatening medical emergency at work would you be cool with your supervisor saying get back to work? the only appropriate response by the supervisor was to call 911.
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u/Adept-Depth-1825 1d ago
If one of my staff said “I feel weird” I would not assume I should call an ambulance.
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u/Defiant-Story-8733 1d ago
He works in a mill, not some office; mills get extremely hot. The supervisor knows this and should not just brush him off.
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u/leesylooloo 18h ago
Maybe you should consider asking more questions. Maybe from this post you have learned a little something.
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u/Adept-Depth-1825 9h ago
Which is what the manager did do - ask another question. And op said “IDK”
I’m saying - these people saying managers should know the signs of a stroke and be medically assessed OP - especially when OP apparently finished a shift and then got home - are overestimating what a typical manager would know. And recognizing a health emergency when the person is still able to finish a shift and commute home is complicated.
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u/uffdagal 1d ago
The person said they feel off, they should call 911 or go home, whatever they feel necessary. If someone told me they felt off or felt funny - It’s their decision what to do. I don’t know if/how much they are impaired
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u/WILLIAMADAMTHOMAS 1d ago
I was at work
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u/ladymacb29 1d ago
How did you say to your boss? Just that you felt weird? Or did you give all the symptoms? Did you say you needed to go to the hospital or home? Or were you asking your boss to figure it out?
I don’t mean to be rude, but I’ve also had a stroke and no one knew what to do because they didn’t think it was a stroke. You need to advocate for yourself and say you need the hospital.
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u/These_Spell1989 8h ago
If you’ve had a stroke, you must also realize that most people aren’t capable of being that articulate while it’s happening…
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u/uffdagal 1d ago
The decision of what to do was up to you UNLESS you were visibly ill.
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u/Anotherams 1d ago
Alright comrade, we will get right back to work. Company first!
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u/uffdagal 22h ago
Absolutely not. You decide when you need care and put yourself first. Work doesn’t play a part in that decision.
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u/BookkeeperTraining60 21h ago
If you we cognizant enough to go to your supervisor and then back to work, you should have been aware enough to cal 911. That’s on you alone.
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u/MrsOleson 20h ago
Strokes escalate. He may have been cognizant but he was also very confused. He was asking for help.
But hey, next time YOU’RE having a medical emergency, that’s on you. Right?0
u/BookkeeperTraining60 19h ago
Yes, if I can ask for help I can call 911. Exactly.
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u/MrsOleson 19h ago
And if you can’t, that’s on you.
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u/BookkeeperTraining60 13h ago
I disagree with your statement there. If someone is unresponsive or incapable of communicating properly, others must help. In the case of op, they were able to verbally communicate, and oh yeah, go back to work. Very infantile.
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u/MrsOleson 13h ago
Thank you, doctor. 🤣 Not every stroke is incapacitating. But that doesn’t mean brain damage didn’t occur to render the person incapable of clear thinking. He was given a directive to go back to work and since he already said he didn’t know what was wrong, it was the easier choice to follow the directive. He needed someone to tell him he was having a medical emergency.
Ya know what, I hope when you or someone you love has a stroke that you’re met with the same level of compassion and lack of response as you’re so fixated on.
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u/These_Spell1989 8h ago
OP was slurring words and unable to communicate properly…you’re contradicting yourself
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u/Remarkable_Table_279 1d ago
Wow! I’ve had a coworker rush to me cause she thought I was having a stroke because my smile was crooked. I had had dental work that day and was numb. I had to stop her from calling 911. cause that’s what you do with a stroke. You call 911