Mom who suffered stroke after giving birth emerges from 18-day coma
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Iffat Shakti, 28, suffered a hemorrhagic stroke June 12, a week after the birth of daughter Julia Ameera, then experienced a second stroke and remained in a coma for the rest of the month.
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But three days ago, the woman opened her eyes, though remains unresponsive, said husband Marco Martel.
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That condition is a sign of brain damage from the two strokes, said Martel, who's been at his wife's side at the Foothills Medical Centre daily.
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'That's what worries me the most – when the brain swelling goes down we'll know the extent of the damage to her brain,' he said.
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Physicians, he said, have told him his wife still might not survive her ordeal and to 'prepare for the worst.'
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But the man said he's placed his faith in a higher power, who's seems to want his wife to survive her ordeal, which was brought on by her high blood pressure.
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But he's also been relying on the generosity of family, friends and strangers who have so far pledged about $19,500 in donations at a GoFundMe page set up to cover the family's expenses.
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'When she comes out of the hospital, we know she'll have special needs like a bed and wheelchair,' said Martel.
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His family will also need support as he's been unable to tend to their property rental business while he takes care of their new daughter, two young boys and spends time at the hospital, he said.
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The auto body detailer says he's paying loans on three rental properties, and his absence makes it difficult to find renters to pay for them.
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Shakti, he said, handled the financial end of the business, adding he's slowly learning that task.
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'I've got a lot on my plate,' he said.
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'I just want to bring her home but the best care she'll get is in the hospital.'
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Shakti, who came to Canada from her native Bangladesh in 2018, was set to take her Canadian citizenship exam last month when she suffered her strokes.
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