{"id":18718,"date":"2018-10-03T08:18:35","date_gmt":"2018-10-03T14:18:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/?p=18718"},"modified":"2022-04-13T10:04:59","modified_gmt":"2022-04-13T16:04:59","slug":"life-after-a-stroke-tapping-new-superpowers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/life-after-a-stroke-tapping-new-superpowers\/","title":{"rendered":"Life after a stroke: tapping new superpowers"},"content":{"rendered":"<div style=\"margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;\" class=\"sharethis-inline-share-buttons\" ><\/div><figure id=\"attachment_18730\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-18730\" style=\"width: 400px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-18730\" src=\"https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2018\/10\/02122256\/David-Kenyatta-vertical-shot-sized.webp\" alt=\"David Kenyatta riding an exercise bike after recovering from a stroke.\" width=\"400\" height=\"602\" srcset=\"https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2018\/10\/02122256\/David-Kenyatta-vertical-shot-sized.webp 664w, https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2018\/10\/02122256\/David-Kenyatta-vertical-shot-sized-199x300.webp 199w, https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2018\/10\/02122256\/David-Kenyatta-vertical-shot-sized-100x150.webp 100w, https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2018\/10\/02122256\/David-Kenyatta-vertical-shot-sized-200x301.webp 200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-18730\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">David Kenyatta had a stroke when he was just 38. Hypertension runs in family and strokes killed both his mom and sister. Kenyatta now keeps close tabs on his health and is proud to be a stroke survivor. Photo by UCHealth.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>David Kenyatta always seemed to have superpowers.<\/p>\n<p>Back in high school, when he was a football star at Aurora Central, opponents had to keep a close eye on No. 9.<\/p>\n<p>His superpower then was taking nothing-special plays and turning them into big yardage. He once scored five touchdowns in a single game.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHe was a really good running back. He was naturally blessed and just darn good at football,\u201d said Charles Fritz, Kenyatta\u2019s teammate in high school and a close friend ever since.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHe\u2019d take a three yard play and turn it into 80,\u201d Fritz said.<\/p>\n<p>More recently, Kenyatta has had to dig deep for new superpowers.<\/p>\n<p>When he was just 38 in December of 2016, he suffered a devastating hemorrhagic stroke and had to be hospitalized and in a rehabilitation center for more than two months. Then he had to learn how to walk again and how to rebuild his life.<\/p>\n<p>Dangerously high blood pressure runs in Kenyatta\u2019s family and strokes killed both his mom and sister. His sister died in 2009 and was also 38 when she had her stroke. Their mom died at age 53.<\/p>\n<div class=\"su-youtube su-u-responsive-media-yes\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"600\" height=\"400\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/Iqwei5245ZA?autohide=2&amp;autoplay=0&amp;mute=0&amp;controls=1&amp;fs=1&amp;loop=0&amp;modestbranding=0&amp;rel=0&amp;showinfo=1&amp;theme=dark&amp;wmode=&amp;playsinline=0\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen allow=\"autoplay; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture\" title=\"\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<p>Until his stroke, Kenyatta was like most of his friends, busy putting in long hours at work, taking care of kids and hanging out with friends.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_18735\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-18735\" style=\"width: 274px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-18735\" src=\"https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2018\/10\/02142745\/David-and-Charles-sized.webp\" alt=\"David Kenyatta and his good friend, Charles Fritz.\" width=\"274\" height=\"246\" srcset=\"https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2018\/10\/02142745\/David-and-Charles-sized.webp 274w, https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2018\/10\/02142745\/David-and-Charles-sized-150x135.webp 150w, https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2018\/10\/02142745\/David-and-Charles-sized-200x180.webp 200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 274px) 100vw, 274px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-18735\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">David Kenyatta (left) and his good friend, Charles Fritz. Photo courtesy of David Kenyatta.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Kenyatta was the charismatic, life of the party kind of guy. Afterward, he has become more quiet and philosophical. He knows he could have died. And a voice inside his head sometimes haunts him: \u201cYou had a stroke. You had a stroke.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>To cope with that voice, Kenyatta has had to confront his fears and re-boot his life. He changed jobs to reduce his stress, carefully monitors his blood pressure, works out regularly, keeps in close touch with his doctors and takes all his medication.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHe\u2019s been a really good trooper after all of this. He\u2019s been great about following up,\u201d said Dr. Annie Chen, Kenyatta\u2019s nephrologist with the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/locations\/uchealth-kidney-diseases-and-hypertension-anschutz\/\">UCHealth Kidney Disease and Hypertension Clinic<\/a>. \u201cHis positive attitude has been a big part of his recovery.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Along with tending to his health, Kenyatta relishes simple times with his wife and kids. In his old job, he had to work long hours, often on weekends. Now, he gets to go to his 5 year-old son\u2019s flag football games and his 11-year-old daughter\u2019s cheerleading competitions. His oldest, a 21-year-old daughter, recently graduated from college, is living in New York and now wants to become a nurse because she admired the people who cared for her dad.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_18740\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-18740\" style=\"width: 640px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-18740 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2018\/10\/02152324\/David-and-DJ-sitting-together-sized.webp\" alt=\"David Kenyatta cuddling with his son, DJ.\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\" srcset=\"https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2018\/10\/02152324\/David-and-DJ-sitting-together-sized.webp 1200w, https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2018\/10\/02152324\/David-and-DJ-sitting-together-sized-300x225.webp 300w, https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2018\/10\/02152324\/David-and-DJ-sitting-together-sized-1024x768.webp 1024w, https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2018\/10\/02152324\/David-and-DJ-sitting-together-sized-768x576.webp 768w, https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2018\/10\/02152324\/David-and-DJ-sitting-together-sized-150x113.webp 150w, https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2018\/10\/02152324\/David-and-DJ-sitting-together-sized-200x150.webp 200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-18740\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">David Kenyatta cuddling with his son, DJ. Photo by UCHealth.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>On a recent evening, as Kenyatta watched Monday Night Football with his family, his son, David, Jr. crawled into his lap, clearly loving the chance to cuddle with a dad he nearly lost. DJ, as he\u2019s known, was paging through a book of superheroes and the kindergartener explained how his dad is just like them.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHe\u2019s got super strength, just like Superman,\u201d said DJ, then he flashed a big grin, just like his dad\u2019s.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Quick action saved a life<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Kenyatta was driving to a job as an electrician\u2019s apprentice on the morning of Dec. 12 when he started to feel strange. He had woken up with a minor headache, then his stomach started hurting. He tried to pull over to get something to drink.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_10795\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-10795\" style=\"width: 300px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-10795 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2017\/06\/20033848\/David-Kenyatta-recovers-in-ICU.webp\" alt=\"David Kenyatta lays in a hospital bed soon after his stroke.\" width=\"300\" height=\"169\" srcset=\"https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2017\/06\/20033848\/David-Kenyatta-recovers-in-ICU.webp 1200w, https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2017\/06\/20033848\/David-Kenyatta-recovers-in-ICU-300x169.webp 300w, https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2017\/06\/20033848\/David-Kenyatta-recovers-in-ICU-1024x576.webp 1024w, https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2017\/06\/20033848\/David-Kenyatta-recovers-in-ICU-768x432.webp 768w, https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2017\/06\/20033848\/David-Kenyatta-recovers-in-ICU-150x84.webp 150w, https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2017\/06\/20033848\/David-Kenyatta-recovers-in-ICU-200x113.webp 200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-10795\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Quick action saved David Kenyatta&#8217;s life after he suffered a stroke in 2016. Nurses and doctors in the Neurology ICU helped keep hope alive for David and his family. Photo courtesy of Kenyatta family.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Fortunately, a stranger saw him driving erratically and called 911. With strokes, every second counts. Paramedics sped Kenyatta to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/locations\/uchealth-university-of-colorado-hospital-uch\/\">UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital<\/a> just four miles away, where stroke experts stabilized him.<\/p>\n<p>During the ride, David was able to give paramedics his wife\u2019s name and phone number.<\/p>\n<p>Candance Kenyatta had just dropped off DJ at day care and his older sister, Kennedi, at school when she received the call that she had to get to the hospital fast.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_18731\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-18731\" style=\"width: 300px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-18731\" src=\"https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2018\/10\/02122306\/David-with-Kennedi-and-DJ-at-Rockies-game-cropped-and-sized.webp\" alt=\"David Kenyatta with his younger daughter, Kennedi, 11, and son, DJ, 5. Photo courtesy of David Kenyatta.\" width=\"300\" height=\"554\" srcset=\"https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2018\/10\/02122306\/David-with-Kennedi-and-DJ-at-Rockies-game-cropped-and-sized.webp 542w, https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2018\/10\/02122306\/David-with-Kennedi-and-DJ-at-Rockies-game-cropped-and-sized-163x300.webp 163w, https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2018\/10\/02122306\/David-with-Kennedi-and-DJ-at-Rockies-game-cropped-and-sized-81x150.webp 81w, https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2018\/10\/02122306\/David-with-Kennedi-and-DJ-at-Rockies-game-cropped-and-sized-200x369.webp 200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-18731\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">David Kenyatta with his younger daughter, Kennedi, 11, and son, DJ, 5. Photo courtesy of David Kenyatta.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>\u201cDavid is a super careful person. I figured somebody had probably hit him and he got a little banged up,\u201d said Candance, now 36.<\/p>\n<p>When she arrived, a nurse told her to wait in a conference room, but she wanted to give David a thumbs up \u2014 a tradition of theirs. She walked back to look for him and saw him splayed out, appearing non-responsive as lights flashed on emergency equipment.<\/p>\n<p>Candance collapsed to her knees, screaming and crying, convinced that her husband was dead. A doctor grabbed her and reassured her he was still alive.<\/p>\n<p>In the ER and later the Intensive Care Unit, as teams of doctors and nurses worked to stabilize David, Candance struggled to convince herself her husband might live.<\/p>\n<p>The first night, she dreamt about a funeral. The following day, feeling she had to brace for reality, she called a funeral home. On the second and third nights, nightmares about people in suits and caskets continued to haunt her. Candance recently had coped with her own mother\u2019s death.<\/p>\n<p>But as the days passed, Candance decided she had to rid herself of negative thoughts. She willed herself to believe that David would pull through.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>A prophecy: \u2018I\u2019m going to be sick, but I\u2019m going to be OK\u2019<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>\u201cI prayed for things I\u2019ve never prayed for before,\u201d Candance said. \u201cI felt he was not going to leave us. We\u2019ve been together a very long time and I felt he was going to be OK.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_18732\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-18732\" style=\"width: 203px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-18732\" src=\"https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2018\/10\/02122315\/David-and-Candance-sized-Copy.webp\" alt=\"Portrait of David and Candance Kenyatta\" width=\"203\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2018\/10\/02122315\/David-and-Candance-sized-Copy.webp 675w, https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2018\/10\/02122315\/David-and-Candance-sized-Copy-203x300.webp 203w, https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2018\/10\/02122315\/David-and-Candance-sized-Copy-101x150.webp 101w, https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2018\/10\/02122315\/David-and-Candance-sized-Copy-200x296.webp 200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 203px) 100vw, 203px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-18732\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">David and Candance Kenyatta. Photo courtesy of David Kenyatta.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Coincidentally, the two had talked about illnesses the night before David\u2019s stroke.<\/p>\n<p>Fritz, David\u2019s best friend, has been fighting cancer and was heading into surgery himself. Because of all Fritz had gone through, Candance and David had a tough talk themselves. If one of them had to get sick, they discussed who it should be and David uttered some prophetic words: \u201cI\u2019m going to be sick, but I\u2019m going to be OK.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>As David clung to life, nurses and doctors cheered the family on.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cNurse Grace was my favorite,\u201d Candance said. \u201cShe told me, \u2018This kind of accident can go either way, but he\u2019s going to pull through. All his vitals look good.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Every day, David\u2019s father, Mike Kenyatta, now 68, sat by his son\u2019s hospital bed, willing him to get better.<\/p>\n<p>While David was in a medically induced coma for weeks, he remembers a doctor ribbing him as he recovered.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_18729\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-18729\" style=\"width: 300px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-18729\" src=\"https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2018\/10\/02122244\/David-Kenyatta-and-his-dad-sized.webp\" alt=\"As he recovered from a stroke in the hospital, David Kenyatta's dad came every day to sit with him. The photo shows David Kenyatta, right with his dad, Mike Kenyatta, on his left.\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" srcset=\"https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2018\/10\/02122244\/David-Kenyatta-and-his-dad-sized.webp 1200w, https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2018\/10\/02122244\/David-Kenyatta-and-his-dad-sized-300x225.webp 300w, https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2018\/10\/02122244\/David-Kenyatta-and-his-dad-sized-1024x768.webp 1024w, https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2018\/10\/02122244\/David-Kenyatta-and-his-dad-sized-768x576.webp 768w, https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2018\/10\/02122244\/David-Kenyatta-and-his-dad-sized-150x113.webp 150w, https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2018\/10\/02122244\/David-Kenyatta-and-his-dad-sized-200x150.webp 200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-18729\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Mike Kenyatta, left, sat at his son&#8217;s bedside every day during his hospital stay. Photo courtesy of David Kenyatta.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>\u201cHe came by every day and joked with me. He told me I was too healthy to be there. He made me think I was going to get out of there,\u201d David said.<\/p>\n<p>David\u2019s oldest daughter, 21-year-old Dominique, was away at college when her dad became gravely ill. Candance and Dominique\u2019s mom decided they couldn\u2019t tell her about the stroke until she made it through exams in New York. She returned home to find her dad in bad shape.<\/p>\n<p>But on Christmas Day, David gave his family a glimmer of good news. He opened his eyes for the first time and showed some ability to move on his left side. It appeared his brain was beginning to recover.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHe was still out of it. He was still in a very deep sleep, but I told him to give me a kiss and he puckered his lips. He understood me,\u201d Candance said.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Learning to walk again<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>David spent nearly a month in the hospital and another month in rehab facilities. During his hospital stay, he lost 50 pounds, shrinking to 168. He only has fleeting memories of his time in the coma and found it incredibly disorienting to lose an entire month of his life, especially the Christmas season, which he loves.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI couldn\u2019t wrap my head around it,\u201d said Kenyatta.<\/p>\n<p>Because of deficits on his left side, he had to learn to walk again.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_10800\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-10800\" style=\"width: 225px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-10800 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2017\/06\/20040407\/David-and-Candance-as-he-recovered.webp\" alt=\"David Kenyatta with his wife, Candance, as he was recovering from his stroke.\" width=\"225\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2017\/06\/20040407\/David-and-Candance-as-he-recovered.webp 750w, https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2017\/06\/20040407\/David-and-Candance-as-he-recovered-225x300.webp 225w, https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2017\/06\/20040407\/David-and-Candance-as-he-recovered-113x150.webp 113w, https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2017\/06\/20040407\/David-and-Candance-as-he-recovered-200x267.webp 200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 225px) 100vw, 225px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-10800\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">David and Candance Kenyatta as he recovered from a stroke. Photo by David Kenyatta.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>\u201cIt was like watching a baby,\u201d Candance said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMy rehab specialist was tough,\u201d David recalled. \u201cShe told me I\u2019d get my strength back eventually.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>But those first steps and first days were painful and exhausting.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI had been lying in bed for a month and a half. They gave me a walker. That made me feel so old,\u201d David said.<\/p>\n<p>Little by little, David made progress.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cOne day, he took 100 steps,\u201d DJ said, proudly recounting his dad\u2019s recovery.<\/p>\n<p>Along with the physical challenges, David faced mental obstacles. For a long time, he felt guilty.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI was disappointed in myself. I blamed myself for letting it happen,\u201d David said.<\/p>\n<p>Since then, however, he has learned that the high blood pressure that he\u2019s coping with is not his fault. It\u2019s very rare in men his age.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_18746\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-18746\" style=\"width: 197px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-18746\" src=\"https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2018\/10\/02154418\/Dr.-Annie-Chen-sized.webp\" alt=\"Headshot of Dr. Annie Chen\" width=\"197\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2018\/10\/02154418\/Dr.-Annie-Chen-sized.webp 221w, https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2018\/10\/02154418\/Dr.-Annie-Chen-sized-197x300.webp 197w, https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2018\/10\/02154418\/Dr.-Annie-Chen-sized-98x150.webp 98w, https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2018\/10\/02154418\/Dr.-Annie-Chen-sized-200x305.webp 200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 197px) 100vw, 197px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-18746\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Dr. Annie Chen.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>David\u2019s nephrologist has tested him to be sure he doesn\u2019t have other illnesses that could have caused his hypertension. Chen has ruled those out. Instead, she believes that David likely has a gene that unfortunately is much more common in African Americans and causes hypertension. It\u2019s called the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC4811340\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">APOL 1 gene, short for apolipoprotein L1<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Along with Chen, David also keeps in close contact with his primary care team.<\/p>\n<p>His provider is Dr. Aimee English, who practices at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/locations\/uchealth-family-medicine-a-f-williams-stapleton\/\">UCHealth\u2019s A.F. Williams Family Medicine Center in Stapleton<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>English encourages David to keep close tabs on his blood pressure every day. And she too, stresses that David\u2019s stroke was not his fault.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_18745\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-18745\" style=\"width: 168px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-18745 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2018\/10\/02154146\/Dr.-Amy-English-head-shot-sized.webp\" alt=\"Headshot of Dr. Aimee English\" width=\"168\" height=\"214\" srcset=\"https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2018\/10\/02154146\/Dr.-Amy-English-head-shot-sized.webp 168w, https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2018\/10\/02154146\/Dr.-Amy-English-head-shot-sized-118x150.webp 118w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 168px) 100vw, 168px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-18745\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Dr. Aimee English.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>\u201cHe was a very healthy 38-year-old. This is one of those silent killers that goes under the radar,\u201d English said.<\/p>\n<p>English said it\u2019s extremely rare for someone as young as David to have had such severe hypertension. But one in four men ages 35 to 44 can have hypertension and one of every two adults suffers from a chronic illness of some sort, English said. That makes it all the more critical for people of all ages to have strong connections with a primary care doctor who knows them well and can help them stay healthy.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIn primary care, it\u2019s all about teaching patients how to take care of themselves on a daily basis. David and his family have done a great job of that. He\u2019s doing an amazing job of monitoring his blood pressure and his family has been super supportive. His wife is with him at every appointment and they\u2019re tracking his care,\u201d English said.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>\u2018Clinging to the preciousness of life\u2019<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>As David recovers from the stroke and its aftermath, he is trying to be more forgiving of himself, while also carefully monitoring his health.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe stroke opened my eyes to some things and I need to be a little more health conscious. The time away from my family was hard on me, but I built some character within myself,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019ve simplified and slowed down,\u201d David said.<\/p>\n<p>He also encourages friends to be more aware.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMan, check your numbers. Watch your blood pressure,\u201d David said.<\/p>\n<p>As David has re-shaped his life, he\u2019s found support from his friend, Fritz, who is still coping with his own colon cancer battle.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe\u2019re in a similar situation. We\u2019re clinging to the preciousness of life,\u201d Fritz said.<\/p>\n<p>Along with dealing with serious health problems themselves, both men also lost their moms far too young. Fritz\u2019 mom passed away of colon cancer. Her death prompted him to get screened at 35, much younger than most people do. And sure enough, doctors found cancer.<\/p>\n<p>The friends both have survived periods of fear and anger, but Fritz said they view their moms as angels.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI believe I\u2019ve got angels who watch out for me. I try to listen to those angels in our day to day lives,\u201d said Fritz, who is an assistant principal at a middle school in the Cherry Creek Schools.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cDavid feels like his mom is looking out for him too,\u201d Fritz said. \u201cDealing with something like a stroke slows you down and you listen to the angels. Life moves too fast. We get caught up in changing the oil or what we\u2019re having for dinner.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_18728\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-18728\" style=\"width: 300px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-18728\" src=\"https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2018\/10\/02122236\/David-and-DJ-from-behind-sized.webp\" alt=\"Photo of David Kenyatta and his son, who is 5. You see the two of them from behind.\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2018\/10\/02122236\/David-and-DJ-from-behind-sized.webp 1000w, https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2018\/10\/02122236\/David-and-DJ-from-behind-sized-300x300.webp 300w, https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2018\/10\/02122236\/David-and-DJ-from-behind-sized-150x150.webp 150w, https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2018\/10\/02122236\/David-and-DJ-from-behind-sized-768x768.webp 768w, https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2018\/10\/02122236\/David-and-DJ-from-behind-sized-200x200.webp 200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-18728\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">David with his son, DJ. Photo courtesy of David Kenyatta.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>When David tried to pull over just before his stroke, Fritz thinks his mom was sending him a little message: \u201cYou\u2019ve got to take care of yourself. Slow down, take care of your kids and realize what\u2019s important.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>And that\u2019s what he\u2019s doing. He\u2019s hoping to play football again with his buddies in the spring. And, he plans to volunteer as a coach for DJ\u2019s flag football team.<\/p>\n<p>Rather than dwelling on the burden of coping with high blood pressure, David plans to embrace a new title he can wear with pride: survivor.<\/p>\n<p>He\u2019s planning to get a tattoo on his right forearm where he can see it every day. It will be in the shape of a red ribbon, a symbol that honors stroke survivors.<\/p>\n<p>David never really felt like a hero after the stroke. But every chance to spend time with his family reminds him that he lived for a greater purpose.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI have to be here for these kids and for my wife. I have to be the best me.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>David Kenyatta always seemed to have superpowers. Back in high school, when he was a football star at Aurora Central, opponents had to keep a close eye on No. 9. His superpower then was taking nothing-special plays and turning them into big yardage. He once scored five touchdowns in a single game. \u201cHe was a [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2123,"featured_media":18792,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_relevanssi_hide_post":"","_relevanssi_hide_content":"","_relevanssi_pin_for_all":"","_relevanssi_pin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_unpin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_include_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_exclude_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_no_append":"","_relevanssi_related_not_related":"","_relevanssi_related_posts":"","_relevanssi_noindex_reason":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[606,235,267,184,351,869,565,1497],"class_list":["post-18718","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-stories","tag-a-f-williams-family-medicine-clinic","tag-emergency-care","tag-intensive-care-unit","tag-neurology","tag-primary-care","tag-stroke-care","tag-trauma-services","tag-uchealth-university-of-colorado-hospital"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.4 (Yoast SEO v27.4) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Life after a stroke: tapping new superpowers - UCHealth Today<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"David Kenyatta lost his mom and sister to strokes, then had his own at 38. 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