After decades without a doctor, one moment changed everything and Kirby decided to take control of his health.
For more than 50 years, Kirby avoided doctors like the plague. His momma always warned him: If you go to the doctor, they’ll find something wrong with you. So, he stayed away. No checkups. No health insurance. No medical bills.
Even when he was diagnosed with diabetes at a free clinic eight years ago, he tried to manage it for a while but eventually stopped taking his medication—it was too expensive, and honestly, he felt fine.
A Wake-Up Call on the Job
That all changed when Kirby started working at MRO. New child support laws required him to have health insurance, so for the first time in his life, he got coverage. He had no idea how soon he would need it.
One day at work, Kirby had just come back from break when he started feeling off. At first, he thought it was just stiffness from sitting too long. But as he pushed a refrigerator on the line, his right arm suddenly went limp. Then, his mouth moved, but no words came out. “I love to talk, and when I couldn’t talk, I knew something was wrong,” he jokes now.
As he tried to climb down from the platform, his legs gave out like Jello. His teammate ran for help, and the occupational health team at MRO jumped into action.
A Stroke He Never Saw Coming
Nurse Audrey Trammell urged Kirby to go to the hospital. He assumed it was just high blood sugar, something he had dealt with before. But this time, it was much more serious. He was having a stroke.
“It seemed unreal. I’ve never been in a hospital,” Kirby says.
Because of early intervention, Kirby has no lasting effects. He knows he’s lucky. “The biggest success is that I’ve come out of this in a positive way.”
A Second Chance at Health
Now, Kirby is committed to checking his blood sugar and taking his medication regularly. He admits his diet still needs work, but he’s trying to add more fruit and eat at the right times. “This has changed me,” says Kirby.
Since working at Monogram, he has also learned he has high blood pressure, something he discovered through an occupational health screening. Now, he wants others to learn from his experience.
“Go to the doctor and get yourself checked out. I know it’s scary, but your body will tell you when something’s wrong.”
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