TYPE OF STROKE: TRANSIENT ISCHEMIC STROKE
Stroke survival can be summed up in 3 words “Don’t give up”
For real, that’s the heart of it. Just keep trying – Gar Moss
My Stroke Story – the Challenges: First Stroke
February 27, 2023, I woke up feeling weird, my eyes blurry, distorted, and feeling out of place, my normal world had turned upside down into an abstract painted nightmare. I had an overwhelmingly uncomfortable confusion take over my thoughts, my face felt frozen, my equilibrium was unbalanced, my speech was broken, I had a foggy feeling something bad had happened. I was so confused on what I should do. My first thought was not to call 911, it was to call my girlfriend, Deanna, and see if she had ideas on what I should do next. She sensed my urgency and told me she would come over right away. The next minute I was in her car, on my way to a local hospital ER. At the ER, I was quickly dispatched to a wheelchair and admitted with a quick diagnosis from the admitting doctor and nurse. They said I may have experienced a stroke or possible TIA (Transient Ischemic Stroke with complications from AFIB and diabetes. From there I was taken through a whirlwind of testing, x-rays, CAT scans and MRIs to check out my heart and brain situation. Later that day, I remember waking confused in my hospital room with a bank of monitors, tubes, and cords wrapped around my bed. It was a very long and exhausting day full of half dozen meetings and reviewing results with specialists and doctors.
Second Stroke:
Several hours later, we were finally getting somewhere with my diagnosis and treatment plan. I remember my neurologist was in the middle of testing my eyes and reflexes when suddenly, it happened again. My balance was off, I felt dizzy, I almost fell over and blacked out. I felt strange and scared. The doctor noticed the right side of my facial muscles had drooped lower than before. I looked at my face in the hospital room mirror – I was shocked seeing my face like that, for the first time since coming to the hospital. I felt so weird. I was in shock. They quickly strapped me in a gurney and wheeled me into another emergency room, and I passed out. The next minute I awakened in my room again, disoriented and confused. The nurse said I was stable but experienced a second more powerful stroke. This was even more debilitating than the first one. It affected more of my motor functions, speech, vision, walking, arms, legs and hand movement, and for the first time, swallowing food, and medications was a challenge.
I soon realized I had over 6 major health issues and challenges to overcome to beat the odds for stroke survival. Those challenges were – I was overweight, had high cholesterol, high blood pressure, uncontrolled diabetes, AFIB in my heart, and dealing with depression. In the beginning I was not ready to take them on in addition to having had a stroke.
Solutions: What motivated me to keep going strong:
- I am very fortunate to have the best support people consisting of my family, my kids, my girlfriend, my personal friends, my therapist, my doctors, and nurses, and now my association with the great team of people with “Champion the Challenges” and the Pacific Stroke Association.
- Psychologically, going through a stroke was probably the most depressing period of my life. I have been through multiple challenging issues in my 60+ years of life including divorce, death, suicide, grief, cancer, shingles, unemployment, highly stressful jobs, and deep family challenges as most of us have. When the stroke happened, I was having a trifecta of troubles. I really hit rock bottom with all parts of my life and health. Doctors warned me of the hardships I would go through trying to get healthy again. They warned me that the odds were stacked against me because I had let myself go. But something inside me said “NO” and gave me the courage to say, “I’m not going to give up” and “I want to be here, now”. I want to be here for myself, my kids my family, my girlfriend and my friends. There is too much to live for.
“Being a stroke survivor is like surviving an invisible earthquake — everything looks familiar as you pick up the pieces, but nothing feels the same, you carry grief and gratitude in the same heartbeat.” – Gar Moss
My Stroke Story – the Solution:
After 4 days and 3 nights in the hospital, my stroke nightmare had stabilized. And I was going home with a whole new regimen of medications and PT therapy, scheduled medical procedures, and diet programs to combat and hopefully normalize my life. I was scared to death of losing my life. I came too close to not being here. I get sad when I think about that. To borrow a quote from Ram Das, a very wise soul. “I want to “Be Here Now”. I am more in the present than I have ever been in my life. I am glad I now see the value of life and am happy to still be here living life authentically and with better priorities than I ever have.
My Stroke Story – the Results:
It’s been over 3 years since my strokes have happened. I have successfully met all my challenges facing head on since that time. My fears of stroke are behind me now that I have knocked off all my original health issues. I found that my biggest challenge was my “overthinking self” – the part of me that had doubt and very little self-worth. Thanks to my friends and family who suggested seeking therapy was not only essential to my health but to “not giving up.” Also, most important is to give yourself the “time” and the “patience” to work through mental and health issues.
Over the past 3 years I worked through multiple hardships. I was able to reverse my Diabetes with major changes in my diet, medications and exercise. Results included taking my out-of-control glucose readings from 14 down to an A1c of 6.5. (still working to get it under 6). I was able to fix the AFIB I had in my heart with an Ablation surgery procedure. I lost over 50 Lbs.in weight by changing my diet, medications and exercise routine. (I now weigh less than I did in college) I reduced both my high blood pressure and high Cholesterol down to more manageable and sustainable levels with diet, meds and exercise. With the help of great support and therapy I have a healthy and happy attitude for life and what comes next! Many thanks to my family and friends and the great teams at CTC and PSA for all their resources and help! “Don’t give up!”
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