My TIA stroke

[Conquistador_del_mar]

On January 24, 2009 I was sitting at my computer desk in the morning like always. I reached up for my coffee, but my right arm would not move. Nothing else seemed unusual until I tried to get up when I realized my right leg would not respond. I hobbled on my left leg to the kitchen where I chewed up and swallowed 4 or 5 aspirin in an attempt to thin my blood since I realized I was having a stroke. About that time my phone rang - it was a good friend I had recently helped with his drinking problem. I asked him to come over to help me which is when I realized that my speech had also been affected - I sounded like Dick Clark. I then called Deanna, my fiance at the time, to also come over. In the meantime, I fell against a kitchen drawer knob and took a chunck out of my butt on the way to the floor where I fractured my wrist. For some reason, I decided to take a hot shower while waiting for them to arrive - probably to wash the blood off and get my blood circulating. It was very difficult getting up and to the shower, but I did it. I then hobbled back to the living room as they arrived. As I sat there trying to explain to my friend how to run my business, my speech returned to normal and I was able to walk again. Deanna then took me to the emergency room where after 3 hours of tests, they concluded that I had suffered a TIA stroke. They told me how lucky I was in that the aspirin helped thin my blood and pass the blockage in my brain. If it had been a broken blood vessel type of stroke, the aspirin would have made it worse. Under a doctor's care, after 1 month my blood pressure, cholesterol, and every blood test was in the excellent level. I continue a healthier regimen having lost 35lbs and am doing fine now. I think I only told 2 guys here on the Donzi forum about the stroke - George and Mark.
I am telling about it now since some might not understand why I have dragged my feet and have decided to abort some projects. I am still concerned about pushing myself too hard - something I am prone to do. I apparently also lost a few memories so please bear with me if I seem a little cloudy - :boggled:. Rock on. Bill

[Ed Donnelly]

Bill; Scary S**t isn't it... I carry Bayer Aspirin, Quick Release Crystals
with me 24 7. I know only too well what you just described..

I lost my sight in my right eye for 6 hrs due to my minnie stroke
Do yourself a favour and carry that Quick release with you...Ed

[Greg Guimond]

Holy sh_t.......you are lucky:shocking: you had the wits to mash those aspirin :angel:

[BUIZILLA]

I had the same TIA deal on April 1, 2004,,, spent 8 days in cardiac care ward... had it not been for Dwight recognizing it while on the phone with him in my office, no telling what would have happened, as I didn't have a clue to the symptoms... he kept me on my cell until I walked into the Emergency Room where I hung up with him, and promptly went face first down on the floor, out cold... woke up 20 minutes later plugged into everything... Doc told Janice to keep me awake for the next 20 hours, if I went to sleep, I probably wouldn't wake up again... THAT will get your attention if you overhear that.. I lost some face function and short term memory for about 6-8 months, and no, nobody here knew that at the time..

all was well... until 2 weeks ago... :bonk:massive headaches, and fuzzy eyesight on the left side..

last week I went for a follow-up ultrasound on the carotid on the other side, and it's 55% blocked, and getting worse... my lifestyle, once again, is due to change shortly.. :boggled:

don't think for a minute that it can't be stress related..

[OFFSHORE GINGER]

Dam Bill ,it sure is good to be alive and to tell you the truth you really never know how good you have it untill............. you see someone else who is in worse shape then you .... or going to Die from Cancer . Hey guy's this is a part of my life i really do not talk much about and for starters ..... 8 years ago i suffered a blood clot in my leg which is called Deep Vein Thrombosis, and shortly after that almost a year and a half later i had two Aneurysm's almost back to back in the lung's one in the left and the other in the right which i almost died from well......................down the road again 1 or 2 years later i found out i had diverticalitis which in turn my large Intestine exploded and thank god i was in the Hospital having test's done for this which ended in emergency surgery and a Colostmy , which after another year and a half ........i am finally able to have a Colostomy take down which is were they hook you back up to your own city water and sewer system ha ha ha which was such a great feeling because i forgot how good it felt to use toilet paper again. Hey guy's , after all i went thru over the past few years i thought i was good to go (WRONG) well...............seeing that i was opened up two times because of my large Intestine exploding and having a Colostmy along with the take down i had three Hernias which in turn....... on the last one they put a screen in my belly area to help prevent this from ever occurring again along with having two knee replacements. Well ...... come to find out and make a long story short last month i found out that i will have to have Prostate surgery which i am scheduling next week and dam it is good to be alive no matter what ......because there are so...... many people out there who are in worse shape then me .

[scippy]

Bill,

That episode you had surely must of come with a lasting reminder of what is really important in life ........The resolve to pace yourself now is the best choice over any ambiguity when it comes to a boat restoration. Rock with the runners!!

[scippy]

Artie,

You have a great attitudes when you say, "there are people out there that are worst off then me" ..........It's hard to have a good attitude when we've been thrown a curve or two.........good luck you old skunk....:wink: :wink::wink:

[gcarter]

Yep, I remember Bill telling me about his episode, and I remember when Jim had his.
Most folks here know I had a double bypass nearly four years ago. Never had any symptoms of a problem other than something similar to indigestion if I exercised heavily within two hours of eating. After three stress tests and three caths, I had the bypass.
I've been blessed w/pretty good health and now I'm on a regimen of 1 regular aspirin per day and two different blood pressure medications.
I would suggest a stress test for anyone over 45.

[blackboat]

Glad to here all you guys are ok. Scary stuff!

[scippy]

[quote=Conquistador_del_mar;590217] About that time my phone rang - it was a good friend I had recently helped with his drinking problem.

Bill,

Do you know Bill W ???

[OFFSHORE GINGER]

Artie,

You have a great attitudes when you say, "there are people out there that are worst off then me" ..........It's hard to have a good attitude when we've been thrown a curve or two.........good luck you old skunk....:wink: :wink::wink: T Y , Skippy, it's all good .........and ole farts like you bill and myself just keep on tickin like an old Timex watch .........ha ha ha ha

[Ghost]

Wow, that is seriously scary. Glad you are doing better, and glad you had the aspirin and the knowledge to react.

[OFFSHORE GINGER]

Wow, that is seriously scary. Glad you are doing better, and glad you had the aspirin and the knowledge to react. Hey guy's it seems so very funny that a simple Aspirin can save your life which all Dr's seem to recomend these days .

[gcarter]

Hey guy's it seems so very funny that a simple Aspirin can save your life which all Dr's seem to recomend these days .

And a bottle of 500 only cost about $10.00 or so.......
there's no excuse!

[Offset]

Scary stuff, I am glad that you are on the road to recovery. Sounds like good thoughts are required for a few guys on the board. Take care of yourselves and thanks for the hint about the aspirin. :crossfing:

[Conquistador_del_mar]

I want to thank you guys for your responses. It is not surprising that some of you have also had medical problems like me. I always thought I was fairly bulletproof until that day since I almost never get sick, have never broken a bone except a toe, and have never had an operation except tonsils when I was a kid. Getting older is not for sissies - lol.
I did get lucky with taking the aspirin, but it could have gone the other way as I found out at the emergency room. I should pass along that they told me they have a drug they induce to help break up blockages in the brain, but it is important that they do it within 30-45 mintues of the blockage. In the meantime, I take aspirin daily and carry some with me anywhere I go. Thanks for the tip on the quick release crystal type, Ed. Onwards, Bill

[Conquistador_del_mar]

[quote=Conquistador_del_mar;590217] About that time my phone rang - it was a good friend I had recently helped with his drinking problem.

Bill,

Do you know Bill W ???

Yep, I met Bill W. almost 18 years ago. :wink: Bill

[gcarter]

I take aspirin daily and carry some with me anywhere I go. Thanks for the tip on the quick release crystal type, Ed. Onwards, Bill

This is important.
I keep asperin in the office, home, all the cars, and in my luggage.

[scippy]

[quote=scippy;590247]

Yep, I met Bill W. almost 18 years ago. :wink: Bill

Bill,

I was told to stick with the winners.... Truly life saving advice. Vey Proud to know you Bill. :wink:

[OFFSHORE GINGER]

I want to thank you guys for your responses. It is not surprising that some of you have also had medical problems like me. I always thought I was fairly bulletproof until that day since I almost never get sick, have never broken a bone except a toe, and have never had an operation except tonsils when I was a kid. Getting older is not for sissies - lol.
I did get lucky with taking the aspirin, but it could have gone the other way as I found out at the emergency room. I should pass along that they told me they have a drug they induce to help break up blockages in the brain, but it is important that they do it within 30-45 mintues of the blockage. In the meantime, I take aspirin daily and carry some with me anywhere I go. Thanks for the tip on the quick release crystal type, Ed. Onwards, Bill Bill , yes you are so very right about getting old ,and to tell you the truth it has helped me to revaluate my life as far as the future goes ,and on that note i find that i am not that hungry anymore as far as making money goes, which in a sense is a god send because now at this age i can somewhat relax , and pick and choose just what it is.....i want or like to do . Hey guy's just a quick mention i also take blood thinners ( Coumidin) because i had three blood clots and will for the rest of my life along with aspirin, and did i fail to mention that 37 years ago i got hit by a train in my pickup .......ha ha ha ha and that is the truth .

[HIGH LIFE]

After reading the all the previous posts , I had a stroke at 36 years old, spent a week in Mass. General in Boston. Changed my lifestyle instantly !!! Hope everyone on the board takes all the right preccations from now on. All the best to you all. Michael "HIGH LIFE"

[Conquistador_del_mar]

After reading the all the previous posts , I had a stroke at 36 years old, spent a week in Mass. General in Boston. Changed my lifestyle instantly !!! Hope everyone on the board takes all the right preccations from now on. All the best to you all. Michael "HIGH LIFE"

And they told me I was too young to be having a TIA at 55 - :bonk: Glad to hear you made some changes :yes:

[farmer tx]

[quote=scippy;590247]

Yep, I met Bill W. almost 18 years ago. :wink: Bill

I hooked up with Bill W. 23 years ago. Also got to enjoy a quadruple hernia surgery for Christmas this year,two days before to be exact.:bonk:

[Donzi Vol]

Bill (and everyone else), thanks for sharing your stories, which I'm sure is no easy thing to do. It's a good reminder to us younger guys that we're not invincible. I was at the office late in the evening last week (as usual), and felt myself stressing out to the point of feeling a panick attack (or something) coming on. I took a breather, and promptly realized that everything I see as so incredibly urgent just isn't worth stressing over in the grand scheme of things.

Thanks again,
David

[fegettes]

This is important.
I keep asperin in the office, home, all the cars, and in my luggage.

About five years ago, my doctor suggested I take a baby aspirin on a daily basis, and I did. But, it seems like when I would start doing stuff out in the garage, I would notice blood on my clothes and then find that I had cut myself, or just even bumped myself, on the forearm, or hands, some place I was unaware of, and I seemed to bleed freely. Anyway, about six months ago I decided the heck with the aspirin and quit taking it, and consequently I am not the free bleeder I was. However, after reading all of these educating posts, I might rethink the daily baby aspirin, and start taking it again. At 57 I still exercise frequently and have stayed healthy, or maybe I have just been lucky. ....now, where is that bottle of baby aspirin?

Steve

[gcarter]

Before my by-pass surgery, I was on Coumadin and I had similar issues. I could bleed at the drop of a hat. But since the surgery and no longer on the blood thinners and on the asperin, I no longer have that problem.
I guess we're all different.

[blackboat]

I have been on the aspirin a day regimen for 2 years. I was taking a low dose aspirin 82 mg , doctor moved me up to a 325 mg coated regular aspirin.
Bad part is I have to take Prilosec with the aspirin so it doesnt hurt my stomach lining.
I guess eventually everything catches up to you !

[OFFSHORE GINGER]

And a bottle of 500 only cost about $10.00 or so.......
there's no excuse! Boy i missed this post ,and George you are so very right that something so cheap can save a life .

[OFFSHORE GINGER]

Before my by-pass surgery, I was on Coumadin and I had similar issues. I could bleed at the drop of a hat. But since the surgery and no longer on the blood thinners and on the asperin, I no longer have that problem.
I guess we're all different. You are so very right about the bleeding when taking Coumadin or Warfarin especially when shaving .

[scippy]

[quote=farmer tx;590374][quote=Conquistador_del_mar;590305]

I hooked up with Bill W. 23 years ago.

:):):)

[Ed Donnelly]

Steve ; I carry Band-Aids in my shirt pocket. I seem to get a nick or cut daily
in boiler rooms. I have been on a daily aspirin regiment for 15 years..

Think of it like a mini oil change. Its good to get fresh blood in the system.

Ever notice after you give blood, you feel peppier ??

(In Canada you donate blood)........................Ed