[stylist] Robert's Medical update

Fri Aug 6 06:42:43 UTC 2010

hi, i'm very happy reading your message and pray for continued
recovery and good health.  what a scary experience! thank you for
sharing this turbulent experience.  I can also sympathize with Bonnie
and the fear and worry she must have experienced.
warmest wishes,
kat

On 8/6/10, Robert Leslie Newman <newmanrl at cox.net> wrote:
> 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
>
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-- 
Kathleen A. Millhoff