New mother who suffered stroke shares her story to help others

SOUTHFIELD, Mich. (FOX 2) - Imagine being a 38-year-old new mom when the unthinkable happens.

"The only thing I can remember is the doctors coming to me and saying 'Say your name, what’s your name?' and I was looking at them and in my brain, I was screaming 'Tiffany, Tiffany,' but it wouldn’t come out."

Tiffany Butts never expected her miracle baby. During her high-risk pregnancy, she changed to more healthy habits and gave birth to baby Nova on Sept. 6th 2022.

A few weeks later, she was right back in the hospital. While Tiffany had no serious symptoms - she wanted a check-up.

"They kept me in observation, they gave me an opportunity to either stay or go home," she said. "So I chose to stay and the next day I had the stroke.

"They calmed down my nausea so I thought I was okay, and next thing I know, it felt like my whole left side completely shut off."

It all happened so fast. Suddenly she couldn’t speak and was being operated on.

"When they yelled 'Stroke alert' I said, 'Stroke alert?'" she said. "'I said I’m only 38, you only hear about strokes in elderly people."

Not true. While doctors say they are less common in younger demographics, they do happen.

Pregnancy before and after birth, can also increase the risk of stroke, says Dr. Michael Ajluni medical director, Neuroscience Center, DMC.

"Before pregnancy during and after, you can have something called preeeclampsia and eclampsia that can raise your blood pressure and cause stroke," said Ajluni. "You’re also in what we call a (hypercoagulability) state, meaning that your blood is more likely to clot during pregnancy."

"I had multiple surgeries, surgeries to input a stent to prevent blood clots from coming in," Tiffany said.

After a few weeks at Providence Hospital, Tiffany was transferred to DMC Rehabilitation Hospital of Michigan. 

She stayed inpatient for nearly a month - without her baby, Nova.

"My whole left side was completely gone," she said. "I couldn’t sit up, I couldn’t do anything. I couldn’t smile, I could not talk, I could not voice what was going on."

Fast-forward to today, Tiffany is still undergoing rehab, with the help of her 2-year-old little miracle.

"She is my own physical therapist, my own physical and occupational therapist," Tiffany said. "She encourages me, 'C'mon Mommy you can do it, let’s go.'"