More Than Just a Character

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Emilia Clarke, the "mother of dragons," starred in a role of a strong and vehement character in a popular TV show called Game of Thrones. Emilia was she an immediate hit, even with her little background in major production acting, which was incospiuous to the show's viewers. Not only was she courageous on-screen, she was also resilient off-screen. After her first season on GOT, Emilia was struck with a subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) in 2011. 

According to the Mayo Clinic, this life-threatening stroke is from bleeding between the brain and the encompassing membrane, the subarachnoid space. The bleeding comes from a ballooning ruptured blood vessel within the space. This occurance is called an aneurysm and is usually caused by hypertension (increased blood pressure) or some other health-related problems. The increase in blood pressure causes sudden, intense pain which is usually the inital symptom of a SAH. As reported by The New Yorker, Emilia stated that she experienced this insufferable symptom while at the gym. 

Shortly after her minimally invasive procedure called an endovascular coiling, Emilia woke in pain and with a condition called aphasia. As learned from my lecture in OT537: Neurological Aspects of Occupational Performance, this aphasia is called Broca's Aphasia, also known as, motor aphasia. This is when someone is unable to express language due to cognitive dysfunction. Spoken words usually come out incoherent and unable to be interpreted by the listener.

I chose this article because I was inspired by Emilia Clarke's resilience. Only one month after her surgery, and with the risk of a smaller aneurysm bursting at any moment, she did not let that stop her as she followed her dreams. Even after her unforeseen difficulties of her second surgery in 2013, she perserviered and healed to tell her story to give hope to other's with similar health difficulties. In the end, this risk paid off and she became a very well known actress to further her career in many different productions.  

https://wikiofthrones.com/23034/emilia-clarke-photos-from-the-hospital-after-her-brain-surgery/


Clarke, E., Sacks, O., & Levitin, D. J. (2019, March 21). Emilia Clarke, of "Game of Thrones," on Surviving Two Life-Threatening Aneurysms. The New Yorker. https://www.newyorker.com/culture/personal-history/emilia-clarke-a-battle-for-my-life-brain-aneurysm-surgery-game-of-thrones?source=EDT_NYR_EDIT_NEWSLETTER_0_imagenewsletter_Daily_ZZ&utm_campaign=aud-dev&utm_source=nl&utm_brand=tny&utm_mailing=TNY_Daily_123119_TopTen&utm_medium=email&bxid=5c323320639ec86e604a6ea6&cndid=48059106&esrc=&utm_term=TNY_Daily.

Lancaster, S., (2021, July 7). OT537: Neurological Aspects of Occupational Performance, Session 2 Lecture Cognitive Impairment [Powerpoint Slide]. Retrieved from https://blackboard.uthsc.edu/ultra/courses/_18020_1/cl/outline

Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. (2021, January 13). Subarachnoid Hemorrhage. Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/subarachnoid-hemorrhage/symptoms-causes/syc-20361009.

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