Reflections on a stroke

It was last Wednesday morning about 10 am. I was finishing shaving so I could shower and get dressed to do a little pastoral visiting. The church had a couple of people in the hospital that as the volunteer pastoral visitor I should go see, but something happened to change the course that I would take that day and for the rest of the week.

As I was putting my shaver back into its cradle my head took a quick dip to the right, actually a very quick movement to the right. Strange. Then I went to lift my shaver and cradle to move it back to where it normally sits and though I was able to do it my left arm moved rather peculiarly. Hmmm. As I backed away from the sink I noticed that my left leg moved strangely and it felt different.

So, very carefully and concentrating on keeping my balance I went to get the phone so I could call Margaret who was babysitting our two grandchildren. I described, as best I could, what I was experiencing. Her suggestion was to go on the Internet and Google symptoms of a stroke. Bingo. Of the four indicators I was experiencing two of them. I called her back and by 10:40 she had me in the front seat of the SUV and we were heading to the hospital.

While filling out the initial sheet in the ER the nurse asked me why I was there. Upon hearing my symptoms he took no time putting me in a wheelchair and before I knew it there was a Stroke Alert being called … and off I went. They didn’t waste a whole lot of time. Doctor after doctor began to move in and out of my little room. Nurse after nurse, test after test – the one where you squeeze two fingers in each hand of the individual asking the questions, smile, stick out your tongue, lift both arms, touch your nose and their lifted finger with your left arm and then your right, lift both legs and hold them up, several strength tests pushing against their hands with both arms, legs and feet, follow their finger with my eyes, look at their nose and tell them how many fingers they are holding up at various locations to my left, right, up and down – everyone who came into the room throughout the day and the next day ran me through the same battery of tests. I wish my college exams had been that easy.

Then off for a CAT Scan of my brain … I’m glad that they found that I still had some gray matter up there. An EEG and then an echocardiogram followed these tests. Vials of blood where drawn … lots of vials … at one time she drew 12 vials. A complete blood profile is needed she told me. All of this was followed with more tests. A chest X-ray and then a MRI of my head and neck and always the same series of … squeeze the two fingers, lift my arms, legs, push against their hands, etc. and doctor after doctor asking the same series of questions.

The debate was on between the various doctors … stroke or TIA. One doc would suggest one thing based on some test and then another doc would mention the other simply based on observation. Finally, one doc – forgot which one because they had started to be a little blur of white coats – shared that it probably was a stroke since my leg had not returned to normal. The slight numbness in my face had gone and the movement of my arm was also normal, but my leg was still weak. Conclusion: a mini-stroke.

In the midst of all this, physical therapy had been added to the mix. They took asked the same series of questions, took me through the same series of little strength and movement tests. Then I finally was allowed up out of the bed after more than 24-hours of bed rest. I was a little shaky and very light headed, but was able to walk around. My leg did feel like someone was knocking my knee out and it was definitely weak. BUT … if I would ring for the PCS to let them know that I was getting up from the bed I could go to the bathroom. Yeah, God … free at last, free at last, thank God almighty I was free at last!

The next day they had me walking the hallways and up a flight of stairs. Going up was a piece of cake. Coming down was a little more challenging. It was a little slow going, but I made it. The stage was set and I was ready to be released. Late Friday I bid them farewell and home I went.

Physical therapy is to be scheduled and several follow-up visits to the doctors. The words of my cardiologist were still ringing in my ears, “You are proof that anyone, regardless of their physical condition or heart strength, can have a stroke. You eat right, exercise regularly (I didn’t admit that I haven’t been on my treadmill since Thanksgiving) and have a very strong and healthy heart – even with the double by-pass – where the clot came from is anyone’s guess.”

Now the challenge is to get back to being normal … and as a person at church yesterday shared, “Well, getting back to being normal will be a great improvement!” … and I don’t think she was referring to my physical well-being.

Quote for today: “You can’t control the wind … but you can always adjust your sail.” Holy Mole by Rick Hotton