Samantha Markle gives an update on her father after stroke
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Randy Travis, who rose to fame in the 1980s with his album Storms of Life, which sold more than four million copies, was rushed to the hospital because of a viral heart infection back in 2013. A few days after entering the hospital, he suffered a stroke, which horrifically sapped him of his prized possession – his voice.
Randy Travis, who rose to fame in the 1980s with his album Storms of Life, which sold more than four million copies, was rushed to the hospital because of a viral heart infection back in 2013. A few days after entering the hospital, he suffered a stroke, which horrifically sapped him of his prized possession – his voice.
Travis suffered what is known medically as viral cardiomyopathy – a rare form of heart failure when a virus causes inflammation of the heart – making it harder for the organ to pump blood around the body.
At one point during his hospital stay, Travis even flatlined – meaning there was no movement in his heart. When the heart fails in this way, it can cause a stroke through clotting of the arteries.
Randy’s wife Mary Davis spoke recently to Rolling Stone about the star’s journey to recovery: “When we left the hospital in November 2013, they said, ‘Well, you know, he’s going to be bedridden the rest of his life. And you will be in and out of hospitals the rest of his life.
“So this is a huge task [rehabilitation] that you’re taking on.’ I said, ‘I don’t mind that… and I don’t believe it.’”
During his hospital stay, Travis underwent multiple procedures. First, doctors implemented a device to help his body pump blood effectively. Then he received surgery to help relieve pressure on his brain, reported WebMd.
The device put into his heart is known as a left ventricular assist device (LVAD).
It supports the weakened left ventricle and helps it get blood into the heart’s main artery and through the rest of the body.
Despite the doctor’s predictions, Travis has not remained bed-ridden since this episode.
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As well as writing a memoir Forever and Ever, Amen, Travis has also been attending meet and greets backstage at shows although he hasn’t been able to speak much as a consequence of aphasia.
Aphasia is the same condition that recently affected Bruce Willis. It is when people struggle with their language and is caused by the brain area linked to understanding and creating speech is damaged.
This condition isn’t only caused by stroke. Severe brain injuries, brain tumours, and dementia can bring on aphasia.
Travis’ cognitive function, nor his memory have been affected by the health ordeal, explained Mary Davis.
Four years after the stroke, she told People Magazine: “Everything’s up there.
“It’s just the aphasia [loss of speech] and getting it out that’s the frustrating part.”
This is typical for those suffering from aphasia. According to the Stroke Association, aphasia “doesn’t affect a person’s intelligence”.
In the UK, more than 350,000 are expected to have aphasia.
Symptoms of heart failure
The main symptoms of heart failure are breathlessness, fatigue, swollen ankles and feeling light-headed or fainting.
The swollen ankles are linked to fluid build-up, known as oedema.
Heart failure is made more likely if you have an uncontrolled blood pressure, or an unhealthy lifestyle, explains the NHS.
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