Just four months after suffering a stroke, 45 year old Pedro Millan is making some major progress, both physically and mentally. “I’m the kind of guy, always dependent on myself. I’m a truck driver and when you lose part of your body that doesn’t work right or function right, the way its supposed to, that’s when it hits you,” says Millan.

Pedro woke up last October and fell down while getting out of bed. He knew something was wrong, but didn’t seek help immediately. Lee Memorial Hospital physical therapist, Abe Abarbanel, adds “he was able to dress himself, go into the shower, then call his brother and his brother took him to the hospital. That usually doesn’t happen.” “I was walking like I was 100 years old, real slow. And inside the emergency room, they took me straight in,” says Millan.

Doctors believe the combination of high blood pressure, an improper diet, and stress may have contributed to the stroke, which left his right hand numb.

Lina Montoya-Rincon is an LMHS occupational therapist and adds, “he had a lot of shoulder pain, swelling, decreased grip, and movement of the fingers, coordination.” Physical and occupational therapists are helping Pedro regain his hand coordination with a variety of different exercises. He’s also learning more about health and nutrition and passing it on.

“The way they talk to me here, my therapists, Abe and Lina, and when I was in the hospital, the way they treated me at the hospital. All that, I make sure my family realizes what I am going through. I don’t want it to happen to me again or my family,” explains Millan.

“It changed his life. And it changed his life to the positive, to where he tries to stay away from bad foods, he tries to exercise, he tries to stay active as he can,” says Abarbanel. Pedro also says life is too short and urges people everywhere to take care of themselves “Just take it easy. Watch what you eat. Don’t stress out, you know,” says Millan.

A few life lessons from someone who knows firsthand just how precious life really is.