[stylist] Robert's Medical update

Fri Aug 6 13:54:14 UTC 2010

I'm glad Cat wrote this.  I accidently deleted Roberrt's message.  Robert, 
just keep getting stronger!  The hospital is an awful place to be stuck. 
Did you know from the beginning it was a stroke or did you think you were 
being treated for a blood clot?  Glad you are home now and getting back to 
normal, whatever that means.  Best, Judith
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Kathleen Millhoff" <kmillhoff at gmail.com>
To: "Writer's Division Mailing List" <stylist at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Friday, August 06, 2010 2:42 AM
Subject: Re: [stylist] Robert's Medical update


> 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
>
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