According to reports, Sandra Lee described the stroke occurring while she was filming the show. She initially noticed something felt off, and she described having what she thought was a hot flash, feeling super sweaty and not like herself. After filming, she went to her parents' home and felt restless throughout the night with shooting pains, leaving her unable to sleep.
During the night, she had a tough time walking down the stairs. In the morning, her hand would slowly collapse when she held it out, and she had a tough time articulating and enunciating. She described noticing she had a tough time articulating and just enunciating, thinking she might be having a stroke.
Her father, who is also a dermatologist, suggested she head straight to the emergency department. At the hospital, an MRI scan revealed she had suffered an ischemic stroke. An ischemic stroke occurs when blood vessels supplying the brain are blocked, and cells are deprived of oxygen and nutrients.
She described what essentially happened as having part of her brain that died. The Stroke Association states that damage to brain cells from a stroke can affect how the body works, as well as how you think, feel, and communicate. Around 85% of strokes across the United Kingdom are ischemic strokes, while the remaining 15% are due to bleeding in or around the brain, known as a hemorrhagic stroke.
According to the NHS, a stroke occurs when blood stops flowing to a part of your brain, can affect speech and movement, take a long time to recover, and needs urgent medical help in a hospital because it can be life-threatening. The main symptoms of a stroke can happen suddenly and may include face weakness, such as one side drooping or difficulty smiling, and arm weakness, like an inability to fully lift both arms and keep them there. In the promotional trailer for the second season of her show, someone is seen dialing for emergency services and an ambulance drives to the medical facility.
Dr. Lee's staff were later informed of the severity of her health. It remains unknown what specific medical treatment Dr.
Lee received after the stroke diagnosis or how long she was hospitalized or required medical attention. The current status of her recovery and health, including whether the stroke has affected her ability to continue filming or practicing dermatology, has not been disclosed. Additionally, the cause of the ischemic stroke in her case, such as underlying health conditions, has not been revealed.