Thrown a curve ball
This post was going to be about our starting back to school a couple weeks ago, but an event has occurred that I want to share with everyone. These are the details as I remember them and I've also added in bits & pieces from those involved that I learned later.
This past Monday morning as I was making Nolan's breakfast-cutting his pancakes at our kitchen counter, my right arm became numb and then limp. The fork dropped to the plate and I flopped my hand onto the counter and then as I stepped back my arm dropped to my side and hung there. I could not feel it at all! It just hung limply at my side and I could not move it. I immediately went into my office to find my phone. I knew I needed to call someone for help. I grabbed the phone & walked into the dining room. I remember thinking-if I pass out, I don't want to fall and scare the kids-so I dropped to my knees and tried to use my phone with my left hand (it's a cell phone-we have no home phone). I could not for the life of me figure out how to use my phone to call someone-I couldn't get it to work. I remember thinking I need to stay calm for the kids. I didn't want them to freak out.
Leah was standing there looking at me so I said, "Leah, go get mema" At least that is what I said in my head-what came out of my mouth was something more like..."eah gggmmaa" I heard what I had said & got angry. I knew. I knew what was happening but I had to get out of my mouth enough of a comprehensible sentence to tell Leah to get help. With a very concerted effort I spoke again, and then again and I must have gotten out enough of a sentence for her to understand. According to Leah it sounded like "eah gg gg mema." or something along those lines and she immediately went in to action and ran to get Chris. (For the record, our 1st lesson starting tomorrow is going to be how to call for help on the cell phone-until both kids can do it like pros.)
Meanwhile-Nolan came out of his room and heard me talking funny and kneeling on the floor. I think he thought I was just being silly as he started to laugh and then seeing Leah run to get mema and me crying trying to tell him this isn't a joke(of course that came out as gibberish as well) I think he finally got it and ran after Leah. Later I would learn that at some point after Nolan ran out of the house-I was able to call Chris & left a message on her phone-"Chris-I need you." Evidently it was clear enough for her to understand but she would not hear this message until much later.
The feeling returned to my arm and I got up and walked to the front door & opened it to see Chris running up the hill yelling to Leah "I'm coming." When she reached the porch I could speak English again but if was very broken and I was having difficulty speaking the words to her that my brain was trying to say. I recall finding the Rescue Fire Dept. # on my phone & she took my phone and went to go get her phone to call for help. I guess I told Chris , "I need you to take me somewhere", but I don't recall this exactly and her asking if she should call 911? I don't know this part exactly. I do remember going into my room to get dressed & in the bathroom mirror saw the right side of my face was droopy. I told the kids to get dressed, in my mind thinking Chris would be taking us to the doctor/ER. Then I remembered she was going to call 911 and the fire dept. would come. I recall thinking-if I pass out-I need everything to be ready, so I went and got my medications out and went to get my purse.
During this time my speech relapsed and I could not speak coherently again. I sat on the couch and started to cry with frustration. Leah came and sat with me and brought Kleenex and then she offered to bring me paper and pen. I wrote 1 sentence "Leah-stay strong".
When the fire dept. arrived my speech had returned-though choppy and disconnected. When Leah asked me what she should do I remember telling her, "Go pray." When the Rescue Fire chief arrived he asked me questions and I could answer them and do his "stroke" tests. Scott showed up while the paramedics were asking their questions (he had been working at Diamond Springs Fire Dept. that day). We requested for the ambulance to take me to Sutter Memorial-but after the paramedics spoke with Marshall hospital-it was determined I would be sent to Sutter Roseville because they are a stroke center.
During the almost hour long ride to Sutter Roseville, I just prayed for the healing hands of our Lord. to make me whole again (at least as whole as I was before Monday morning) and allow me the chance to be there for Leah and Nolan and to be able to be a capable mother and teacher for them.
I won't bore you with the long ER wait etc. but Scott arrived shortly after I had, and during our wait for a CT scan (appox. 2.5 hours)-I relapsed a few times with my speech again and when Scott mentioned this to the front desk clerk-within 1 minute we heard a "STAT" call for bed 17 (my bed) and several people came to whisk me away for the CT Scan. The CT scan showed that I had previous "old infarcts" or mini-strokes and that there was an occlusion (blockage) in the vessel leading to the "language" part of the brain. The MRI later confirmed this. I have a lot of medical test/findings that are described in medical terms but basically I did have a stroke. I was kept 2 nights for observation and was released to go home today. Rough day yesterday with headache and nausea and extreme fatigue.
I will have follow up appointments next week with my cardiologist and primary care physician. At this point a couple more tests are required to perhaps determine the cause. At this point cause #1 could be due to "abnormal heartbeat" atrial-fibrillation that may have "jarred" a clot of some kind or #2 could be that I have blood that is "sticky" and may coagulate to cause a clot. There are medical terms for this-but I guess my brain isn't quite up to it's functioning standards of memory :)
I do want to reassure everyone that I have full functionality of all my limbs & speech. I do not have to attend any type of rehabilitative services. I will have a new medication to add to my regime-Plavix-to prevent a further stroke.
I came home today and sat on the front porch and watched the kids playing dodge ball with my mom. And I was thinking how blessed I am and grateful to our Wonderful God for bringing me home with all my faculties to continue and enjoy my family and friends! His power is amazing!
I truly sit here now-typing my retelling of this story amazed that I can do this! A stroke is nothing to joke about and a very scary occurrence. I am amazed that I could come through this ordeal in such a short time with no after affects (that I can tell yet). Talking to the nurses, this kind of recovery from the stroke center is uncommon. At least to the degree that I need no type of rehabilitation.
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight." Proverbs 3:5-6
This past Monday morning as I was making Nolan's breakfast-cutting his pancakes at our kitchen counter, my right arm became numb and then limp. The fork dropped to the plate and I flopped my hand onto the counter and then as I stepped back my arm dropped to my side and hung there. I could not feel it at all! It just hung limply at my side and I could not move it. I immediately went into my office to find my phone. I knew I needed to call someone for help. I grabbed the phone & walked into the dining room. I remember thinking-if I pass out, I don't want to fall and scare the kids-so I dropped to my knees and tried to use my phone with my left hand (it's a cell phone-we have no home phone). I could not for the life of me figure out how to use my phone to call someone-I couldn't get it to work. I remember thinking I need to stay calm for the kids. I didn't want them to freak out.
Leah was standing there looking at me so I said, "Leah, go get mema" At least that is what I said in my head-what came out of my mouth was something more like..."eah gggmmaa" I heard what I had said & got angry. I knew. I knew what was happening but I had to get out of my mouth enough of a comprehensible sentence to tell Leah to get help. With a very concerted effort I spoke again, and then again and I must have gotten out enough of a sentence for her to understand. According to Leah it sounded like "eah gg gg mema." or something along those lines and she immediately went in to action and ran to get Chris. (For the record, our 1st lesson starting tomorrow is going to be how to call for help on the cell phone-until both kids can do it like pros.)
Meanwhile-Nolan came out of his room and heard me talking funny and kneeling on the floor. I think he thought I was just being silly as he started to laugh and then seeing Leah run to get mema and me crying trying to tell him this isn't a joke(of course that came out as gibberish as well) I think he finally got it and ran after Leah. Later I would learn that at some point after Nolan ran out of the house-I was able to call Chris & left a message on her phone-"Chris-I need you." Evidently it was clear enough for her to understand but she would not hear this message until much later.
The feeling returned to my arm and I got up and walked to the front door & opened it to see Chris running up the hill yelling to Leah "I'm coming." When she reached the porch I could speak English again but if was very broken and I was having difficulty speaking the words to her that my brain was trying to say. I recall finding the Rescue Fire Dept. # on my phone & she took my phone and went to go get her phone to call for help. I guess I told Chris , "I need you to take me somewhere", but I don't recall this exactly and her asking if she should call 911? I don't know this part exactly. I do remember going into my room to get dressed & in the bathroom mirror saw the right side of my face was droopy. I told the kids to get dressed, in my mind thinking Chris would be taking us to the doctor/ER. Then I remembered she was going to call 911 and the fire dept. would come. I recall thinking-if I pass out-I need everything to be ready, so I went and got my medications out and went to get my purse.
During this time my speech relapsed and I could not speak coherently again. I sat on the couch and started to cry with frustration. Leah came and sat with me and brought Kleenex and then she offered to bring me paper and pen. I wrote 1 sentence "Leah-stay strong".
When the fire dept. arrived my speech had returned-though choppy and disconnected. When Leah asked me what she should do I remember telling her, "Go pray." When the Rescue Fire chief arrived he asked me questions and I could answer them and do his "stroke" tests. Scott showed up while the paramedics were asking their questions (he had been working at Diamond Springs Fire Dept. that day). We requested for the ambulance to take me to Sutter Memorial-but after the paramedics spoke with Marshall hospital-it was determined I would be sent to Sutter Roseville because they are a stroke center.
During the almost hour long ride to Sutter Roseville, I just prayed for the healing hands of our Lord. to make me whole again (at least as whole as I was before Monday morning) and allow me the chance to be there for Leah and Nolan and to be able to be a capable mother and teacher for them.
I won't bore you with the long ER wait etc. but Scott arrived shortly after I had, and during our wait for a CT scan (appox. 2.5 hours)-I relapsed a few times with my speech again and when Scott mentioned this to the front desk clerk-within 1 minute we heard a "STAT" call for bed 17 (my bed) and several people came to whisk me away for the CT Scan. The CT scan showed that I had previous "old infarcts" or mini-strokes and that there was an occlusion (blockage) in the vessel leading to the "language" part of the brain. The MRI later confirmed this. I have a lot of medical test/findings that are described in medical terms but basically I did have a stroke. I was kept 2 nights for observation and was released to go home today. Rough day yesterday with headache and nausea and extreme fatigue.
I will have follow up appointments next week with my cardiologist and primary care physician. At this point a couple more tests are required to perhaps determine the cause. At this point cause #1 could be due to "abnormal heartbeat" atrial-fibrillation that may have "jarred" a clot of some kind or #2 could be that I have blood that is "sticky" and may coagulate to cause a clot. There are medical terms for this-but I guess my brain isn't quite up to it's functioning standards of memory :)
I do want to reassure everyone that I have full functionality of all my limbs & speech. I do not have to attend any type of rehabilitative services. I will have a new medication to add to my regime-Plavix-to prevent a further stroke.
I came home today and sat on the front porch and watched the kids playing dodge ball with my mom. And I was thinking how blessed I am and grateful to our Wonderful God for bringing me home with all my faculties to continue and enjoy my family and friends! His power is amazing!
I truly sit here now-typing my retelling of this story amazed that I can do this! A stroke is nothing to joke about and a very scary occurrence. I am amazed that I could come through this ordeal in such a short time with no after affects (that I can tell yet). Talking to the nurses, this kind of recovery from the stroke center is uncommon. At least to the degree that I need no type of rehabilitation.
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight." Proverbs 3:5-6
Oh Jill! So scary. What a day for thanks and praise to a good God! I am so glad you were able to sit and watch those beautiful babies play in the yard.
ReplyDelete-KC Endeman
Jill! What an amazing and merciful God we have!! He heard and said "yes" to your prayer for His Healing Hands to make you whole so you could continue to be mommy and teacher to Leah and Nolan! What our Lord did for you is miraculous!! Thank you for your testimony of God's amazing power in your life!! What an awesome reminder for all of us!!
ReplyDeleteDee Michel