Getting out of bed last Thursday my left arm and leg had pins and needles and were difficult to control, however I continued with my day which mainly consisted of teaching a youngster to drive a 12 metre coach.
Next morning there was no improvement so I rang my doctor who said he did not even want to see me, but to get myself up to the Emergency Department of the local hospital at once as I had probably had a stroke. And so it turned out. An MRI head scan later I was put to bed and connected to various machines and dials. Hospital wards are not places for a good night's sleep - mine looked just like this one, but at least I had the bed in the right hand corner. So, after 3 days of restless nights, hospital food, medication, jabs and caring/cheeky nurses, they got fed up with me and chucked me out with a large bag of pills - some of which I intend to take (but not the statins!).
Apparently, especially considering the day's delay, I am a very lucky boy. Slight clumsiness to left hand and leg but otherwise OK. No physio needed, but no driving for 4 weeks (although they said nothing about cycling!)
I am a lean (155lbs), fit 74 year old. Non smoker, moderate alcohol who likes gentle exercise (cycling and dog walking). So it can happen to anyone.
It was Woody Allen who said "If you want to make God laugh, tell him your plans".
9 comments:
Ooh, that's scary. Very glad it was only mild and won't stop the cycling.
All the best for recovering complete use of the hand.
Wow, you were so lucky - look after yourself now. So glad you are ok.
Sorry about that, Avus. But you're right about it happening to anyone. I have discussed strokes with VR (ex Charing Cross trained SRN) and she confirms that although there may be pointers, there is no way at all of predicting them with any accuracy. Weighing tons, given to devoting my weekends to Bacchus (albeit less than I used to), certainly given to excess in what I write, I wake up each morning with a tendency to count my extremities.
I wish you the ability to put this event to one side and occupy yourself by re-reading authors that previously gave you satisfaction - including light stuff. Music too, although as an Englishman you may suffer from a Calvinist tendency to regard mere listening as no sort of activity whatsoever. Conversation is best of all so long as the horizons are broad and the talk covers subjects beyond those presently denied you. In brief, avoid "dwelling".
Oh and, of course, blogging. Physical restrictions (although, thank God, yours don't appear to be too severe) can be a benefit when writing. Your thoughts can be just as entertaining to others as a description of cycling round Romney Marsh, although they may be harder to mobilise.
I liked the detached, almost laconic, tone of your post. That too is something worth aiming at.
All the best. Whenever I click on your blog I am reminded of Jean Behra who lacked an ear. See, there's a train of thought already leaving the station.
Thank you, everyone for your good wishes.
RR: I am mystified by your last para ??
RR: Of course! The Avus circuit in Berlin.
Daughter here.......
I say nothing,(well, not too much), but I think a lot!
x
Oh gosh, bet you're glad to be home.
I know cheery anecdotes can be intensely irritating at times like this, but one of our neighbours had a similar level of stroke, at about your age or a bit older, in the first year or so we were here. (He was the virtuous, clean-living,hard-working one of a pair of brothers, the other of whom was a more feckless, Calva-addicted wreck, now deceased).
Anyway, Marcel, who had the stroke, is still with us at over 90 now, still busy, keeping his house and garden like a new pin (his wife is doing well at 99), walking and standing very well, driving short distances, and still good for a chat over the gate, so it's not necessarily any kind of sentence.
Anyway, take care, and take RR's advice - it'd be nice to see a bit more of you here
Lucy:
Thanks for the encouraging anecdote - I shall do my damnedest to emulate Marcel!
Duchess (daughter):
I know, my dear, I know. "Wise old owl" eh?
Oh dear,so sorry to read this. Hope you do indeed follow Marcel's example.
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