STROKE and BEYOND blogg 6
5th December 2011, 3 am – Awakened with an urgent urge to go to the bathroom. Was feeling very crook, very nauseated. Pulled the sheet off, and got out of bed, fell straight down on the floor, legs had given way but I knew I had to get to the toilet, and quickly. Luckily we had an unsuite toilet/shower. After some dragging and vomiting, cleaning up, I managed to get back to bed. I woke my wife and told her ‘I couldn’t feel my legs’. Luckily we had an unsuite toilet/shower. After some dragging and vomiting later I managed to get back to bed. I woke my wife and told her ‘I couldn't feel my legs. Then it hit me! My wife quickly called an Ambulance; our son was on his mobile phone to the Poison’s Information regarding my situation. (I had taken natural health sleeping tablets prior and we were not sure about them.) I knew nothing as the extricating, massive pain just continued. I was just aware I was being helped and held over the toilet, must have been sick again, by this time I was lapsing in & out of consciousness.
The Ambulance Paramedic’s couldn’t figure out what was wrong with me, did I require Hospital, or maybe it would wait till tomorrow. Umm, just maybe, the use of the F.A.S.T. test might have given clues. Lack of leg function, lack of arm function, lack of speech.
The ambulance personnel were trying to talk to me. I couldn't comprehend what they were saying midst the commotion and everything else, all the panic. They took me to the toilet where I was once again sick, tried again to get me to stand then I remember faintly being taken to the ambulance. They did initially try to make me walk, even with their arms under and over my shoulders to support me. Didn’t help as I had no leg function to assist with.
After, my wife was to tell me, the Ambulance Paramedic’s figured I was either suffering from maybe drugs, or was drunk. No smell of alcohol possible though as I drank very rarely and very little. Their advice was to take me to the Doctor in the morning if I wasn’t better. Luckily for me she insisted that I be hospitalized! Even this was quite difficult as the Ambulance personnel were adamant the Hospital trip would not be necessary, be better to allow me to sleep ‘it off’ and see the Doctor the next day. My wife knew something was definitely wrong and completely out of character for me and thankfully kept demanding I be taken to Emergency. A quick trip to Hospital later, we only lived 10 minutes away, I was passed out by now, unconscious. Again I have to say maybe, just maybe, the use of the F.A.S.T. test might have given some clues to the Ambulance Personnel. ''Lack of leg function, lack of arm function''.
Quote ‘’Do not automatically trust others, supposedly the Experts, the Highly Trained, to be the knowledgeable one’s!’’
They had me in a bed at the Hospital Emergency, a Doctor was walking past, he apparently looked, then exclaimed ‘he’s having a Stroke’. All this I was told later by my wife, who had come along in her car, just as well ……