A DAD blamed an “intense” smell in Lush for giving him a bad headache – but it turns out he’s had a stroke.
Gary Smith says he was shopping for a present for his wife last month when he was overwhelmed by the smell and crowds at the body care giant’s store in Stone, Kent.
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Gary Smith, 52, blamed an ‘intense’ smell in Lush for a headache while buying his wife bath bombs Credit: Kennedy Newsand Media
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Gary tried to ignore his symptoms while in the Lush store but the vision in his left eye went blurry Credit: Kennedy Newsand Media
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Turns out dad had a massive stroke that killed part of his brainCredit: Kennedy Newsand Media
The 52-year-old “assumed it was bath bombs” and tried to ignore his headache, but then the vision in his left eye went blurry as he walked with daughter Rebekah Eller to get relief from the pain.
He became confused when he couldn’t grab a box of pills in Boots “as if his hand was frozen” and recalls feeling “drunk” as his vision became “blurry”.
Rebekah, 30, rushed her terrified father to hospital, where tests showed he had suffered a massive stroke.
Gary claims he was told by a specialist last month that the incident killed an eighth of his brain and that he is surprised he can still walk.
He is out of work and suffering from fatigue, but considers himself lucky and wants to encourage people to “listen for the warning signs of a stroke” so they can get help as soon as possible.
The dad’s TikTok video of his experience includes the caption “eye started hurting, I assumed it was bath bombs” and has been viewed more than 200,000 times.
It was like having a smudge on my windshield and I couldn’t see through it
Gary Smith
Social media users joked that the scent in Lush is so strong that it can “hit” anyone.
Gary, from St Albans, Hertfordshire, said: “When I was at Lush I had a headache and it was overwhelming.
“I was getting intense feelings, and you don’t want that because it’s only going to make it worse.
“I don’t like going into Lush because the smell there is too strong for me and it’s strange to me that women like it.
An NHS video animation explains how a stroke occurs and how to reduce the risks
“As we headed into Boots, I noticed I was starting to lose sight in my left eye.
“It was like I had a smudge on my windshield and I couldn’t see through it.
“Looking back, this was the point where I should have said I had a huge problem here, but I didn’t and we went on with Boots and things went really downhill.
“When I went to get the box, my hand went towards it, but I couldn’t lift it.
“It was like my hand was frozen. I had no pain, but it didn’t work. I was confused.
“I put the bath bomb down and picked up the box with my other hand to put it under my arm, but again it wouldn’t.”
If you get a few symptoms, listen to your body and tell someone
Gary Smith
He added: “At this point I lost consciousness and Rebekah asked me ‘what’s up?’ By then I was worried.
“It was like I was drunk. Everything doesn’t do what you want. You can see things, but everything is a bit blurry.
“When I saw a specialist weeks later he told me I had had a massive stroke and that people who have that usually have permanent paralysis and it was a huge shock.
“I raced motorbikes and you always have the attitude that it will never be me, and I had that even with a stroke.
What are the 4 stroke symptoms you need to know?
You can use the QUICK method – which stands for face, hands, speech, time – to tell if someone is having a stroke:
F = Relaxed face – if one side of the person’s face is droopy or numb, ask them to smile, if it is uneven, you should seek medical attention.
A = Arm weakness – if one arm is weak or numb, you should ask the person to raise both arms. If one arm slides down, it could mean a stroke
S = Difficulty speaking – if a person’s speech is slurred, it could be a sign of a stroke
T = Time to call 999 – if the person has the above signs you should call 999
Other symptoms of a stroke include:
- sudden weakness or numbness on one side of the body
- difficulty in finding words
- sudden blurred vision or vision loss
- sudden lightheadedness, dizziness or unsteadiness
- sudden and severe headache
- difficulty understanding what others are saying
- difficulty swallowing
Ischemic stroke, the most common form of the condition, occurs when a blood clot blocks the flow of blood and oxygen to the brain.
This is usually caused by arteries that become narrower over time
“When you have a stroke you can’t stop it and you have to see what happens, but I knew I was wrong and I kept pushing like an idiot.
“If you get a few symptoms, listen to your body and tell someone.”
Gary says Boots staff called 911 after Rebekah told them she wasn’t feeling well but decided it would be quicker for her to drive herself to hospital.
Within 30 minutes, Gary said he had a brain scan and the headache turned into pain in his left eye and the back of his neck.
He says he struggled with hand-eye coordination while in hospital, including difficulty filling out forms and using a locker key.
From now on, the lady can bathe in an ordinary bath
Gary Smith
The next day he was sent home with medication and referred to a stroke specialist, who told him he was lucky that one-eighth of his brain had died.
Gary says his brain is “rewiring to compensate for the area that died,” because it’s healthy.
Doctors suspect that the stroke was caused by a blood clot as a result of a genetic heart defect.
The engineer insists that he does not smoke or drink heavily, and has been told that he does not have high cholesterol or high blood pressure.
Gary returned to Lush and Boots to pose for photos to include in his TikTok and earned more than 170 comments.
One person wrote: “Someone should tell them those bath bombs are too strong.”
Gary joked: “I killed one eighth of Soph’s brain. The lady can take a regular bath from now on!”
Another said: “You got lucky. Speedy recovery, thanks for sharing.”
Gary agreed and said: “Incredibly happy. Counting every day. Thank you.”
Gill Eldridge, who is assistant store manager at Boots, said: “When the customer described his symptoms I immediately thought it sounded like a stroke so I called 999 straight away.
“It’s great that he is now raising awareness of his experience to help others understand the signs and symptoms.”
Lush declined to comment.
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Doctors suspect Gary’s stroke was caused by a blood clot as a result of a genetic heart defectCredit: Kennedy Newsand Media
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Gary struggled with hand-eye coordination while in hospitalCredit: Kennedy Newsand Media
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“If you get a few symptoms, listen to your body and tell someone,” said Gary Zasluge Credit: Kennedy Newsand Media
Categories: Optical Illusion
Source: HIS Education