Grim Reaper: 0 - Me: +1
As some of you know, I've had my fair share of encounters with the Pale Rider and managed to escape each time none the worse for wear. This time, however, Ol' Dan Ketch left a calling card. A permanent one.
On the 23rd of July, 2009 I woke up with my right hand a bit numb. I figured I'd just slept on it in a strange position or something. It didn't fade during the day but I wasn't concerned. Next day, same thing. On Saturday when I woke up to the same thing I figured I had a pinched nerve. I've had that before and it usually fades after a couple of days so I let it go and went on with my day. Same old, same old for the next few days.
Then we get to Wednesday night.
As the day progressed I began to get a headache. Then I noticed the right side of my face was a little tingly. Mostly just the right side of my lips but a little in my cheek as well. And the side of my nose (WTF?). My hand seemed a little worse. Fast Forward to 4 AM Thursday.
I'm off to the hospital.
A bunch of tests and needle jabs later and I'm staying for at least a day. Then it turned into 2. They finally let me go yesterday. 1st of August.
I've had a stroke.
A minor lenticular infarct, to be specific. It's a deep brain injury. Fortunately, I got the lesser of two evils. I got the "loss of sensation" as opposed to the "loss of motor control" variety. I think the best way to describe it is.... it's like when your hand falls asleep RIGHT before you get the pins and needles part. Just that it's in my face a little too. And as an added bonus it's on my right side and I'm left handed. Go me and my ranking in the weird 10% of humanity!
We think that a small blood clot (resulting from knee surgery back in March) worked it's way up to my brain and lodged in a small blood vessel. One of the Docs said the vessel is narrower than the diameter of a sewing needle. Now to me that's not useful information. There are TONS of different sewing needles of different sizes
One of the others explained to me that the vessel is so deep in the brain that it's barely wide enough for two blood cells to pass through together. So that's pretty damn narrow.
So now I have to take an aspirin everyday. And something to protect my stomach from the aspirin. And a cholesterol med as my bad cholesterol is border-line at becoming high. I'm supposed to cut back on salt and fat in my diet. Which I've already started since finding out I'm diabetic.
So yeah, Death left a mark this time around. But you should see the other guy!
How was your week?
On the 23rd of July, 2009 I woke up with my right hand a bit numb. I figured I'd just slept on it in a strange position or something. It didn't fade during the day but I wasn't concerned. Next day, same thing. On Saturday when I woke up to the same thing I figured I had a pinched nerve. I've had that before and it usually fades after a couple of days so I let it go and went on with my day. Same old, same old for the next few days.
Then we get to Wednesday night.
As the day progressed I began to get a headache. Then I noticed the right side of my face was a little tingly. Mostly just the right side of my lips but a little in my cheek as well. And the side of my nose (WTF?). My hand seemed a little worse. Fast Forward to 4 AM Thursday.
I'm off to the hospital.
A bunch of tests and needle jabs later and I'm staying for at least a day. Then it turned into 2. They finally let me go yesterday. 1st of August.
I've had a stroke.
A minor lenticular infarct, to be specific. It's a deep brain injury. Fortunately, I got the lesser of two evils. I got the "loss of sensation" as opposed to the "loss of motor control" variety. I think the best way to describe it is.... it's like when your hand falls asleep RIGHT before you get the pins and needles part. Just that it's in my face a little too. And as an added bonus it's on my right side and I'm left handed. Go me and my ranking in the weird 10% of humanity!
We think that a small blood clot (resulting from knee surgery back in March) worked it's way up to my brain and lodged in a small blood vessel. One of the Docs said the vessel is narrower than the diameter of a sewing needle. Now to me that's not useful information. There are TONS of different sewing needles of different sizes
One of the others explained to me that the vessel is so deep in the brain that it's barely wide enough for two blood cells to pass through together. So that's pretty damn narrow.
So now I have to take an aspirin everyday. And something to protect my stomach from the aspirin. And a cholesterol med as my bad cholesterol is border-line at becoming high. I'm supposed to cut back on salt and fat in my diet. Which I've already started since finding out I'm diabetic.
So yeah, Death left a mark this time around. But you should see the other guy!
How was your week?