What I actually had was a TIA - Transient Ischemic Accident But it may as well be called stroke because that's what a stroke is except on a greater scale.
For me it started with a feeling of fatigue. Then came a confusion of sorts. I was grocery shopping and just couldn't remember what I wanted. Fruit? Yes, but what? Veggies, which ones? I wandered along the aisles and just couldn't think.
Then my right leg started to drag. I became tired almost to the point of tears. At this point my daughter found me as I was about to give up and go back to my car. She walked me back to my car, but by this time I knew I wasn't driving anywhere until I could have a nap. I was extremely sleepy.
But then my face had started feeling numb and my speech started slurring, and I had trouble answering her questions. I knew I was in trouble, but I didn't want to go to the hospital, even though it was becoming apparent that I was in the beginning of a stroke.
I started crying, and this is a big tip-off. I really was in trouble, so I told her to go ahead and call the paramedics.
When they came, I had to get out of my car to get onto the gurney, but I had to have help getting my left leg out, which is not uncommon. I frequently have trouble moving that leg in an out of a confined area. However, the big problem was my right leg. I could not move it When I finally was able to get out of the car, I tipped to the right because my leg wasn't supporting me.
Okay, I'm strapped on the gurney, and bumpity-bump into the ambulance. Face mask for oxygen, which pushed my glasses up off my nose. So the medic took them off, and I thought put them on the seat beside my purse. (After much fussing at the hospital, looking for the glasses, calling the medic, then calling my daughter. She said the glasses were in the zipper part of my purse. Voila! there they were and I could see again.)
But I digress.
The way from Megan's work site to the hospital was pretty direct, and it was just before heavy commute traffic, so the trip from the parking lot to the emergency entrance was about 15 minutes. At one point, I heard the driver on the loudspeaker saying "Move to the right. Move to the right. Move to the right." Apparently there was a driver who wasn't paying attention to the siren and the blatt of the horn. I could see out the back window the ambulance, and it was obvious that drivers had pulled over to let the ambulance pass, but wouldn't you know, there's always someone whose brains take a holiday. I've seen it happen many times when I've pulled over for a fire truck or ambulance.
Before we left the parking lot, I gave my cell phone to Megan and had her call my sister to let her know I wouldn't be IMing with her that evening. Apparently she didn't get the message because when I got home, I had an e-mail WHERE ARE YOU?
A note to Emergency Rooms: Why not put patients on a concrete slab? Those gurneys are right next to impossibly uncomfortable!!!
The medic had inserted an IV while we were in the ambulance, but the nurse removed it and put in a HepLock. Then she put in another one at my wrist. (To those without medical background: a heplock is a gadget that gets stuck in a vein and taped into place, so that if medication is required it can be given through the heplock instead of intravenously or intramuscularly. And an IV bag can be attached quickly.)
Don't try to move your arm very much when you have a needle stuck in the crook of your elbow. Itchy nose? Rub it with your other hand. That elbow is not going to bend!
And then the Foley catheter. I hate those things!
Oh, and on that other arm is a blood pressure cuff that squeezes the heck out the fat on the upper arm. And it squeezes frequently. That little gadget they clip on your finger to monitor the pulse rate wasn't working very well. I think they need to scrap it.
Fortunately for the blood pressure, I have been on medication for about three months, so the pressure remained within normal limits the whole time. But now I have to go on Plavix long term in addition to the bp meds. I tell, you, I'm a walking pharmacy.
The CAT scan was inconclusive, but that's not unusual. It will show a bleeder, but a blockage has to be fairly large before it shows up on the CAT.
A nurse or a doctor would come in from time to time to check my physical strength. Fine on the left side, weak on the right, and I couldn't lift my right leg. I kept trying, while alone, and finally was able to lift my leg a smidgeon off the table, then a little more, then a little more, then finally I was able to lift my leg completely up. When I nurse came in to check the monitors I told her "Look! I can raise my leg!" and I showed her. "Has the doctor seen that?" "No." So pretty soon the doctor came in, and I showed him, and I was also speaking normally. (Hmmm! when did that happen?) Hot diggety. Time to go home.
Well, not yet.
Final patient evaluation, paperwork, discharge orders, prescription. I could have been out of there an hour earlier. So why am I antsy?. I know the drill. But, dang! that gurney was getting harder and harder. I got up and started walking around, and got shooed back to my little cubicle.
Megan was called and told I was ready to be discharged, but she got there before all the paperwork was completed. Of course. The Foley had been removed, but the HepLocks still remained. The one from the wrist was removed without a problem. But the one from the antecubitus -- we had a little problem. Apparently pressure hadn't been applied long enough or hard enough because all of a sudden there was blood running down my arm and splattering on the floor. Oops! So the nurse put another folded 4x4 over the blood-soaked one, and another, tighter tape. I was going to ask for a transfusion, but decided not to push the humor at that point.
Well, anyway, we finally got out of there, and Megan got me home. She had called a neighbor to pick up my car for me, and soon after I returned home, there was a tap-tap on my door. Kristen handed me my keys, and came in to get the scoop. So, today she's going to take me to the pharmacy to get my prescription filled and then to Trader Joe's to get my kosher milk. She insisted that I take it easy and NOT drive for a couple days. I guess it doesn't hurt to be cautious.
And a final note: I was in that hospital five hours without a drop to drink until just before I was discharged. My mouth was like cotton. And then it was in one of those little Dixie cups. I kept asking and asking and asking for water. I have a cup of water constantly within reach, and a quart plus is my usual daily consumption, besides the tea. I stopped at a water fountain near the exit door and filled up.
And I have an appointment with my doctor next Monday.
Shalom
P.S. : Got the prescription for Plavix filled. $121 and change. For 30 days. And that's with a discount!