[stylist] Robert's Medical update

Fri Aug 6 03:20:02 UTC 2010

Up date on Me, Robert Leslie Newman

RE: Stroke survivor 

(Some of you will get this twice; meaning that a copy will go to STYLIST.

First, allow me to say, "Boy, am I happy that I am able to be sitting here
and capable to type out this message!" I'm at home, recovering from a
stroke. I'm tired and have to take things a step at a time. I'm also happy
to be able to say, that I have not experienced any of the classical symptoms
of a stroke victim - no problems with speech, nor memory, nor movement of
arms and legs. So yeah, no physical damage, though I'll let you be the judge
as to if it has negatively effected my mental abilities!?!

I'm on medical leave from work and plan to get Division business up and
going; I've been in contact with some Division board members and they have
been stepping in helping to get some info out there and some Division
planned activities moving. I appreciate what each and every member has
contributed. {A good Division is never about what one person can do, but is
about what the group working together can do.}

Here is the scoop about me- On Sunday, July 18th, while taking my
"before-bed" shower; I dropped the soap, bent down to retrieve it and as I
stood up, the muscles at the back of my neck spasmed painfully and my back
and top of my head felt like they were blowing apart --- I recall thinking,
--- "Like, "WOW! - though this thing didn't just kill  me, but I'll be lucky
if this hasn't done me some damage!" Though once  the talents of pain
relinquished its hold on my head and neck, I immediately felt better. After
drying myself off, I basically continued doing what I had plan to do, --- go
down and work on email. 

Down stairs, head still hurting some, I started with answering emails and
felt more okay than not. At one point, maybe 2, I found that the volume of
JAWS had lessened (Playing around with the volume knob showed me that the
computer hadn't changed, it was my hearing). Then, I started feeling very
nauseous getting sick to my stomach, as in feeling like I was going to run
for the toilet and throw-up! And so it happened and I just couldn't stop.
Eventually I was emptied out and --- still feeling very sick to my stomach
and with a bad headache. I had called Bonnie on my cell and she came down
and --- well observed and helped worry and wonder --- what was this? (Our
main thought was that it might be the tuna fish that I had eaten on my
dinner salad; food poisoning.) And at no point had we thought of a stroke as
the cause- I'm thinking that even though I have read many short lists of
what to look for when you have a person who may be exhibiting stroke like
symptoms, I must have missed the list that would tell "you the victim" of
what it may feel like as you are personally experiencing a stroke. And yes,
I know that there are different kinds of strokes and that "feeling it
happen" may not be the same, from one stroke type to another; the neck and
pain fireworks" is one that I now know is one outcome of a
sub-arachnid-hemorrhage. 

Well, after I basically settled down, as in my throwing-up, and being a guy
who hates feeling sick and weak, I said that I'll try and sleep and wait it
out until morning. 

At eight I called in and got an appointment for 10:00 AM. And sure, I was
still feeling nauseous and my neck  still felt stiff and soar. 

At 10:00 I saw the Doctor. He checked me out and told me he was looking for
stroke symptoms and really didn't see any. Though, he felt for safety
reasons, I should come back in at 3:00 PM for  a CAT Scan. 

At 3:00 PM I did have the scan and they found blood, that I had indeed had a
stroke and there was pressure from the blood on my brain. I was admitted
into the hospital. And so started a long list of professional Nero
specialists and support people working me over. 

Thus on July 19th,  my hospitalization started in the Neurology unit's ICU;
total bed rest was the order of the day. 

On July 29th I was moved to a less restrictive floor , still within
Neurology. During my time within the Neurology's ICU, I did have several CT
scans and one MRI, and no surgeries. The time in ICU was to monitor and
allow nature to start the reabsorbing of the blood from the hemorrhage.

On August 4th, A final CT still showed good stuff in that the blood was
lessening and still no signs of what may have caused the stroke and so they
gave me the option to go home. Hurray! I needed a radical change and felt
that I and Bonnie could manage the few meds they requested I finish taking;
now four more days, then done. (And anti spasm pill and a stool softener.
They also gave me pain pills for those times when I felt I needed them)
Other then that, I just needed to get up and work out my stiffness and
rebuild my strength. 

Boy, I now have a greater appreciation of the patience and strength of those
friends I have, whom I know have gone through lengthy hospital stays, doing
all they had to do to work through a life threatening medical situation. (My
experience is nothing like some folks I know that have had to do more than
what I just described.)

Finishing up --- hey here I am, sitting at home and would not object to a
call from anyone wanting to call and say "hi, how are you doing?"
402-556-3216

Tomorrow I'll be working on two pieces for the up coming issue of Slate and
Style- My "from the Pen of the President and a report on the 2010 winners of
our youth and adult writing contests. 

Robert Leslie Newman
President NFB Writers' division 
Writers' Division Website-
http://www.nfb-writers-division.org <http://www.nfb-writers-division.org/> 
Personal Website- 
http://www.thoughtprovoker.info