Doctor: Coretta Scott King Had Major Stroke Date: Thursday, August 18, 2005
By: Daniel Yee, Associated Press


ATLANTA (AP) - Coretta Scott King suffered a minor heart attack and a major stroke that impaired her ability to speak and affected her right side, but she is "completely aware," a doctor said Thursday.

King's daughter said the family expected a full recovery.
Dr. Charles Wickliffe, a cardiologist at Piedmont Hospital, where the 78-year-old widow of civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. had been hospitalized for two days, said a blood clot had moved from King's heart and lodged in an artery in the left side of her brain.

"This same clot caused a small heart attack and a big stroke," said Wickliffe, addressing reporters along with King's four children.
"She's completely aware," he said. "She's not able yet to relay her wishes."

The stroke caused weakness in King's right arm, her right leg and the right side of her face, and she was not able to speak, Wickliffe said. He said she would remain in the hospital for days and would need intensive therapy.
"We have to retrain the right side of her body to do the normal things that you do," Wickliffe said.

He said she was in fair condition and on intravenous and oral blood thinners to prevent any further occurrences.
Her daughter, Yolanda, said she was stricken about 10 a.m. Tuesday at her home in Atlanta's Buckhead section. She said they were having a conversation when her mother suddenly stopped talking. Family members immediately took her to the hospital.

"We are completely assured she will come to a complete recovery. We believe this is a cleverly disguised opportunity to grow," she said. "We have all prayed in our own ways. There's been a lot going on."
Thursday was the first time all the siblings were able to be there, she said. One daughter, Bernice, was in Africa and a son, Dexter, was in Los Angeles.
"We thank the public for all their prayers and support," said the other son, Martin Luther King III.

The family had not disclosed her condition before, he said, but "we thought it was very important to bring some clarity."
Civil rights activist Jesse Jackson came to the hospital Thursday, although he didn't visit King's bedside.
"The good news is, she is a tough person and she is going to survive this," Jackson told reporters.

One of our beautiful and respectable elders.

I'm gonna pray for this sista.

Yeah she was beautiful...just like Rossa Parks

get well soon

Thats very sad to hear I wish her well and hope she recovers soon.

I think I should put up a story about Mo Mowlam, maybe that would be more interesting for people hear

@CAsh

I was a bit surprised to see only a few replies here but maybe many don't actually know who Coretta Scott King is confused3

But isnt that an awful predicament@ mafdet

When I first heard the stor I thought itbwas in retrospect due to the quietness of it all. Little ddi I know it happened recently

I am very sorry to hear about Mrs Kings stroke and hope that she will make a full recovery. My Dad suffered a stroke in March 2005 he is 72 it was also on his right side caused by a blood clot in the artery that travelled up to his brainhe was taking to the hospital one night after complaining of not feeling well. He was diagnosed with having an irregular heart beat and was given medication to slow it down and thin the blood.Three days later while he was still in hospital on the hospital bed the stroke happened. We left him the night before he seemed ok he was talking as usual and seemed happy that after having the angiogram done that there was no blood clots.

The next morning i walked in to the hospital and said ''good morning daddy as usual'' but this time he did notreply and didnt focus on me as usual. I quickly turned to the nurse and asked whats wrong with my dad? they said they had no idea and the doctor came to see him that morning and everything. The doctors explained that it was very unusual for situations like that to happen after the bloodhas been thinned down and he was just unlucky.Up until this day i still blame the hospital for my dads stroke and feel that they were very careless they new that he was at risk of having a stroke and should have took more caution.Situations likethat should not be allowed to happen in big countries like england.But anyway am praying for my dad and hope that he will recover sufficently he also lost his speech due to the stroke and is still unable to communicate with us properly and therefore gets very frustrated he walks very well infact he doesnt walk like he had a strokealthough his left arm is still very weak.I miss the dad i knew before he was such a lively and jokie person always making us laugh and so on I always pray for him and wish him all the best i am very greatful that he is still alive it could have been much worst. There are times when he gets sad and depressed but all he needs is a bit of encourgment and determination and he will get there.

Have anyone of you witnessed a family member or a friend have a stroke and if so what was it like for you and how was the recovery process for the stroke patient?

I was saddened to hear about Coretta Scott King , my heart goes out to her family at this very difficult time. Our prayers should be with them at this time, the road ahead for them will be an uphill struggle. She is the kind of woman I want to be when I finally grow up.