BC Man has stroke in bathroom, survives on toilet water for 7 days

A 62-year-old man from Dawson Creek, B.C., who survived a stroke in his washroom by drinking toilet water for seven days, is hoping his story will help others avoid a similar situation.

Steve Adsley says he suddenly fell in his bathroom while going about his normal routine inside his single bedroom apartment, the CBC reports.

Adsley says his entire left side of his body was paralyzed, screaming for hours with no help in sight.

“Later on that night I figured out my problem was water,” Adsley is quoted as saying by the CBC. “So I unscrewed the bolts from the toilet, turned it into a little cup and could reach with one arm, just far enough in – and could put a little cup in the water in the bottom of the toilet bowl. So I drank it.”

After day 7 of the stroke, his neighbour heard screams and called 911 for assistance.

Adsley was found to be severely dehydrated, but within a few weeks, he’s regained feeling on his left side and doctors expect him to make a full recovery.

The CBC also interviewed the Heart and Stroke Foundation, who says Adsley had risk factors associated to strokes like high blood pressure and smoking.

They say it’s important to be able to recognize the signs and symptoms of a stroke, “like dizziness, sudden numbness or loss of use of an arm, trouble speaking, blurred vision or a headache.”

Agencies/Canadajournal