It all came as a surpirse to me, as I was have lunch on that day, and during the preceeding days, I saw nothing to be alarmed about.  Because I've had blood pressure problems for over 40 years, I take my blood pressure at least twice a week on my home blood pressure kit.  I take blood tests regularily, and I saw nothing to be alarmed about during that week. 

At the age of 67, this was my first encounter with a stroke, and I thought this was my last day on earth.  While eating lunch that day at home, there was a sudden feeling that I was being crushed by a force coming from above, that I didn't understand.  My imagination came into play, and I imagined, that a very heavy fish net, was dropped upon me, and from where it came I didn't know!  As the net began to crush me, I began to sweat like a pig, and I couldn't get up from the breakfast bar where I was sitting; nor move from side to side;

I continued to sweat profusly, as the object squashing me, was getting heavier, and the more I sweat...the more I sweat...until there were little puddles on the breakfest bar.  The more I struggled...the more I sweat, etc. 

The wall phone was only six feet away, but I couldn's get up and get to it.  Only a couple of minutes went by, and I knew I was in trouble...so, I reached into my pocket and got my cell phone and called 911.  This unknown force was crushing me, and I knew I had go get help. 

Five minutes after I called 911, the ambulance people were banging on the door.  The door was only six feet behind me, but I couldn't get up to answer it. I yelled out to the ambulance people to get maintenence, and they would be let in the aparrment.  I was such a sweaty mess from sweating so much, that one of the ambulance attendants ripped my shirt off! 

I was quickly placed on a gurney, and taken downstairs and into an ambulance.  The ambulance people thought I was have a heart attack, so I was taken to the Heart Instute, across the street from the Lovelace Health Hospital, where I wanted to go.  The worst was yet to come, as I threw up in the ambulance for the first time, and it would be the first of 18 times I would throw up over the next 18 hours I was in the hospital. 

When I got to the hospital, I couldn't stand up, so, therefore I couldn't walk, and I quickly crumbled to the floor like a rag doll.  I was confined to a bed and told to stay there, and not try to get into a wheel chair, etc.  I was told that If I moved, I would have to get help from the nursing staff. 

More bad news, as I was told that the stroke had affected my swallowing muscles, and I couldn't swallow.  A plastic feeding tube had to be inserted up the nose and down into the stomach, to feed and medicate me.  At this point, I didn't get killed by the stroke itself, but, later with all this activity, I thought this was the end of my life as I knew it. 

I use the analogy of an earthquake, to compare the stroke, which I think is similar.  You have the mail earthquake, and then you have aftershocks after the main earthquake.  Since I survived the main earthquake...there were thoughts in my mind, that there could be the aftershocks that would get me...disable me or even kill me.  Since I couldn't stand up when I got to the hospital, I was riding around in a wheelchair for a month. 

After eight days in the Heart Institute, the feeding tube was taken out, and I was transferred to the ReHab Center across the street, where, at the age of 67, I would have to learn to walk all over again.  Everywhere I went, there was a nurse nearby with a white belt strapped around my body so I wouldn't fall.  I said hello to a walker for the first time in my life. 

One day, the nurse wheeled me to a meeting I was to have on the next floor.  When I got there, I was wheeled into place around a table, with about 12 other stroke victims...all in wheel chairs.  At this point, I couldn't believe what had happened to me.  For the first time, and being with all those people in wheel chairs, I knew I was in trouble! 

This is the only way to measure the severity of the stroke.  There were some people there, that were really devistated by the stroke they suffered.  One fillow, was noticebly disabled in the face, as his jaw seemed to be out of place, and he was wearing a black patch over his left eye.  People of ages sitting around the table, were talling their stories about their stroke.  One woman lost the use of her left hand; one man was paralized up and down the entire right side, and was confined to a wheel chair.  Another man had speech problem...and the awful stories went on and on. 

After hearing these stories, and seeing these people, I considered myself lucky...as the blow I got from the stroke was not severe as some of those people sitting around the table.  I felt lucky, and I felt that I dodged a bullet.  Now, I had to deal with the after shocks of the earthquake...if any.  Everyday, that I would wake up, I would check to see if I had my vision; then, I would chack my motoring skills; I would get out of bed and walk around the area; don't tell the nurse or the therapist that I was out of bed.  This is just a little secret between you and me. 

When I arrived (by ambulance) at the Heart Institute, I had the hic-cups, and I was told that they came with the stroke, and there was nothing they could do for me.  For eight day, every day and night, I had the hic-cups, and I didn't get much sleep my first week in the hospital.  When I was transferred to the ReHab Center, the hic-cups disappeared. 

For the next three weeks in the ReHab Center, I would spend about 6 hours learning to stand up and walk.  I always had that famous white strap around me by the nurse or the threrapist.  I never walked alone without the aid of a nurse/therapist in the rehab center.  It wasn't until I got discharged from the hospital, that I would walk on my own.  Various exercises were done; walking up and down steps, etc.  Getting in and out of a car; getting up from a fall; and various balancing exercises to get me back on track

Finally, it was discharge day, which couldn't come too soon. During this time, I pushed a walker around for about four months.  The walker would help me get across busy streets.  By the way, I stopped drinving after the stroke, so I did all my business by walking and riding the bus.  After 4 month on the walker, it was time for more improvement, so I switched to a cane, to help me get around.  I usually carried the cane with me, and I only used it to cross busy streets, to help me prompt me along.  I don't think drivers would be too happy if it took 2 hours to cross a street.  

And now, we come to the middle of February, 2013.  It's now time, in my view, to give up the cane and go it alone.  Kind of like a one year old baby learning to walk, and stumbling across the living room, and finally reaching the sofa...with a sigh of relief that the baby didn't fall...again!  

I will start with short excursions, like the Post Office is onlly a block away; the grocery store is only two blocks away, etc.  When I have a long trip like to the doctor's office, I will take the cane with me.  NINE months after the stroke, I still worry about the after shocks of the stroke...and the damage they may do to the vision and the motoring skills.   

 Prescription;  I think everyone over 18 years of age should experience a stroke.  Nothing fatal; nothing disabling; If you're old enough to vote and get sloppy drunk and do all the other wotheless things to ruin your health; happy hour; drugs; weight-gain...then, you'r old enougn to have a stroke and knock you on your fat ass!  You should spend a month in the hospital and learn to walk again. 

You should have a feeding tuble, put down your stomach, and learn to swallow and walk again.  Nothing serious, mind you.  Just a little punch in the nose, to make you change your ways, and take better care of yourself.  After you get out of the hospital, you will feel better about yourself, and start taking your health seriously...a lifestyle change is in order.  A nice little stroke, will knock all the arrogance out of you, and you will be more disciplined to take care of yourself and your family. 

I am not a doctor, but I have my opinions about who I think  is at risk for a stroke and/or a heart attack;

Since doctors couldn't or wouldn't find the answer to my stroke...I think I found the problem, and I did something about it.  You see, a pacemaker was implanted in my body in 2006, and from the beginning, I thought the pacemaker had something to do with the stroke.  The cardioligist described about the tissue growth around the leads and the device itself. 

At the time, I thought it was a blood-clot waiting to happen!  In short, this action by me, will be another article, so I have to keep it short.  After six years with this device, I had the pacemaker removed on January 8, 2013, and I couldn't be more pleased.  It all made sense to me...with all this tissue-growth around and in and out of the device...I believe that this formed a blood clot, and caused the stroke, etc.  Of course, doctor's disagree with me...as expected...(yawn, here)  If I do have another stroke...it will be for some other reason...becuase the pacemaker is long-gone, etc. 

(I had an x-ray done by my primary doctor, to confirm that everything was removed, and it showed that nothing was left behind)

Everyday, I thank my lucky stars, that the stroke was only a glancing blow, and that I survived.  But, I still worry about the after shocks.  I consider myself a better person AFTER the stroke.....than i I was BEFORE the stroke.  And, you'll take better care of yourself, too, after you're had your bell rung with a mild storke, etc.  Strokes hit people of all ages...so take care of yourself and be well...Jer

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