Tuesday, June 10, 2014

April 7, 2013 continued....

....



As I sat there in the doorway, trying to get to my feet, without any progress, I saw my friend's husband coming across the parking lot.  The one thing that I thought, which if you know me, you will understand that weird and random thoughts pop into my head often, was "wow, his legs are really white" (he had on shorts).  So here I am, sprawled out in the entryway of a historic building, unable to speak, unable to move, and I'm marveling at the color of his legs.  Go figure!  He got to me and I asked him to help me...again, speaking no clearer than I had before but he at least had the wherewithal to understand that I was in desperate need of attention.  He called for my friend and she came over and was able to understand me enough to know that I needed my blood pressure machine (yes, I'm a big weirdo that carries it around with me because I have hypertension issues).  At the same time, they are calling my dear loving husband, who was at home, I presume working on the yard or watching golf, or whatever it is that he and the dog do when I'm not around.  The reading on the sphygmomanometer (that is a fun word to say...if you can say it...I currently can't) was 208/145 or some craziness like that.  My friend is trying to keep me calm because I truly was scared (I couldn't move!!) and talk to my husband on the phone and get some idiot that was running the show to call for an ambulance.  (Said idiot was afraid I'd fallen and they were going to get sued so wanted to ask a million questions first.) 

I'm not sure who called the ambulance, whether it was idiot, another vendor or what, but finally I remember a guy bent down talking to me (later my friend told me he was a really cute firefighter...dadgummit, I always miss the cute ones!  lol).  He was asking questions and I couldn't answer them.  I do remember when he asked my name and I tried to tell him, he just couldn't understand it so some part of my brain told me to sign language it to him.  (I could still use my right hand.)  So I started spelling my name out using sign language.  He understood.  But, that was just the beginning of the nightmare. 

I was taken to a local hospital that was not equipped to handle strokes.  Sadly, they were not, in my experience that night, equipped to handle much it seemed.  They could not get a proper IV ran, they blew every vein in both of my arms trying.  Thus, they said they could not do the proper tests and sent me home with a diagnosis of a headache and the orders to follow up with my family physician if issues still occurred.  I was released still not being able to walk well on my own, not able to speak clearly and with a massive headache.  God was with me that night.  He watched over me and took care of me and guided my husband on how to care for me until we could get in to my doctor the next day. 

It was later that week, and several tests later that the diagnosis came back.  I had truly had a stroke.  Fortunately, it was a smaller stroke in the grand scheme of things.  I could walk relatively ok.  My speech was "off" a bit and I forgot words.  My face was partially numb for several days and I constantly drooled.  And oh my goodness, the fatigue was incredible, and not a good incredible.  I never knew that I could get so tired.  That was stroke #1....

Fast Forward to May 6, 2014...1 year and almost 1 month later...
 

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