"A stroke, at my age????" (My Experience of a Stroke)

Name: deanne

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Product:	My Experience of a Stroke
Date:	04/05/01 (227 review reads)
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It was May 1990. I had just celebrated my 25th birthday on the 5th May.

Right, I had a very demanding job and worked long hours, approximately 12 hours a day 7 days a week, plus I was 'on call' 24/7. It was demanding and pressured so far as if I wasn't 'on it', hundreds of thousands of pounds would be lost. I was fraud manager.
The fraud was ongoing but I could 'stop it' as soon as I discovered it. If for instance, I took a lunch hour, many thousands of pounds could have been lost. So, for obvious reasons, I didnt take a lunch break!

It was 6.30pm and I was talking to a collegue and I pointed to something on her monitor with my right arm. As I put my arm back to my side, it felt like it wasnt 'my' arm. I didnt think anything of it.

When I returned to my desk, I had just finished a telephone conversation and was writing notes. Suddenly my right hand went numb, then within 5 seconds I had no feeling in the whole of my right arm. Again, within seconds the right side of my lips went numb. Then the whole side of the right of my face went numb. This all happened within about 15 seconds. A collegue looked at me and asked, "Are you alright...do you want a drink of water". I could tell by the shocked look on her face that I obviously looked 'different'. I tried to tell her that, "No, its okay, I have a diet coke there". However, all that came out was a load of jibberish noise.

She rushed out of my office and told another manager what she had seen and heard. He came in and started asking me questions, "Who is your doctor"... I tried to tell them, but again, just jibberish nonsense poured out.

In casualty I was wired up and blood was taken. I remember reading a sign on the wall, and tried to say it out loud to myself, but no, I was still talking jibberish. I felt totally freaked, it was as if all this was happening in a different world. Its difficult t
o explain.

Different doctors and consultants examined me and different diagnosis were made. I was told I had water on the brain. I was told that I had had a brain haemorrhage. I was also told that they thought I had a small brain haemorrhage but, a larger one was on its way. I was scared.

My younger sister who worked at the same company, came to the hospital with me. I will never forget the desperate look on her face. I think she was more scared than I was.

Okay, cut to the chase.

When I was eventually diagnosed as having a stroke and discharged from hospital, I was given an appointment with a top neurologist and CAT scan, at the Atkinson Morely Hospital. The appointment was the earliest available. 3 MONTHS LATER. I was told to take half an aspirin a day and to come off the contraceptive pill.

I made a 100% recovery and the appointment went well.

I was never offered any counselling or information. (I did research it myself though).

It was thought to have been triggered off by 'stress'. Who knows eh?

My company paid me full pay for 3 months, sent lots of flowers and holiday vouchers. I resummed my same duties, same hours etc in the September.

Touch wood, I have been fine ever since.

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