Jun 27, 2008

Foster City mayor recovering from stroke

Pam Frisella's spirits remain high

By Mark Abramson / Daily News Staff Writer

Foster City Mayor Pam Frisella was in good spirits Thursday as she was about to be released from the hospital that afternoon after suffering a stroke last week.

Frisella, 62, said she first started showing the signs of a stroke June 18 while aboard a boat in a lagoon with San Mateo Mayor Carole Groom. When she later went to a Foster City Rotary Club meeting her speech was slurred, but nobody said anything about it.

In fact, nobody said anything until after she met later that day with Council Member Linda Koelling and City Manager Jim Hardy, Frisella said.

"Linda called me the next day and said, 'You know what, I think you had a stroke,'" Frisella said.

Frisella checked herself into Mills-Peninsula Medical Center in Burlingame and learned that a blood clot in her leg that went to her brain caused the stroke. She had minor surgery to prevent something like that from happening again and has been prescribed blood-thinning medication.

Frisella said from her hospital bed via phone Thursday that she had a couple of early episodes because of the stroke, but not for several days now. And despite being hospitalized, she was in a good mood.

"The food is really good, and I tell you, the nurses, they call me Madam Mayor too, it's hilarious," Frisella said. "At least now if I say something stupid, I can blame the stroke."

Since she was hospitalized, flowers and get-well messages have poured in. And she expects to preside over the next council meeting, on July 7.

"We were all very distressed about what happened," Vice Mayor John Kiramis said. "Her fortitude and resolve will get her through it. I will worry about Pam the day she stops kidding around."



E-mail Mark Abramson at mabramson@dailynewsgroup.com.