2011

I hadn't realised it had been September since I last did an entry.
What excuse have I got ?
Well actually a pretty darned good one if you must know!

Lets see, since last blogging, was ill with what was said to be a virus, 2 Drs at our surgery said so, 2 Drs at an ARU unit said so.
My BP was sky high, we are talking daft levels, what started it we didn't know. Was put on BP pills, then was allowed though not 100% to drive to the Lake District with the dog, GP's idea was :' Walk lots get some fresh air be away from your mother for a bit'
Stopped off saw my brother who looked hellish, not seen him since his quadruple bypass ( he only got a double as other 2 too close) and told him because thanks to him I was strapped to ECG's a lot the previous week.
Was told to come back after so many weeks to check BP etc at GP's in between Dog & I spent 4 days in Ambleside, met with a work colleague for coffee one morning in Windermere and told her, its not my heart, its my head, So when I went back I made sure it was MY GP i saw (he'd been on holiday before) and hey presto he agreed they'd all been looking at wrong place and I was thus given a very quick appointment at Neurology.

I add at this time I was doing my 54 mile round trip to work, it was hard to do as was work, though HR were fab just a pity the rest didn't understand!

Neurology, usually 20min appointment turned into a 4.5 hour one!
Very officious Registrar (German, young!) decided she'd do everything to me, then asked if I'd like to become a member of the Stroke Research Group, as I'd need an MRI this would mean things happening quicker! In fact a very nice young Registrar ( a 12 yr old he seems to be! But a nice guy) appeared in 10 seconds and dragged me off and I was in the MRI very fast, and was told no bleeding then and I'd be back in another 2 weeks  for another they'd be in contact, but please take BP pills, take statins , Aspirin etc.
Called GP script duly given out, still going to work, called him again and said Statins and me not working well together new one issued. Then called him again and went nope not that one can I leave it till we hear about MRI? Ok.
The very next day a call from GP please come in, so did and that was the 19th November.
Seemingly I was the centre of the case study as they couldn't make out for sure stuff on MRI and I had had a leak in there! They were now putting it down to a mild Left Lacunar stroke! So now major blood thinners would be now needed!
Second MRI with dye November 22 but one thing he insisted on was I was to stop working for the time being. I must have looked Shell Shocked, as I didn't argue!
By the time the 2nd MRI came round I couldn't keep food down as the blood thinners were  making me violently ill.
Both the Neurology dept, MRI wifie and I all thought I'd not last in the machine, and I nearly didn't. 45 mins in a MRI with freezing cold dye isn't the way I like to spend my afternoon but I managed it, how? Simply because if I got through it, wouldn't need one till October 2011!
Then a memory test, by heck the daft things they get you to do. My GP 4 days prior informed me nowt wrong with my memory !  Neurologist was happy, then they did the psyche do dah. Seemingly you score 1-8 you are a happy bunny, if 9-15 moderately not so and above 15 break out the happy pills. I scored 10. I am convinced I am a 10 told them all I was fine till they told me ' Hey Sam you are 50 you've had a mild stroke!' now I was paranoid and fed up. Seemingly all stroke victims get mood swings, tell me about it, its hormones all over again!
New blood thinners stronger than before so no aspirin to be taken a new statin and that seems to agree we think dosage was way to high.
Still off work as he keeps telling me I am not ready to go back.
Tis the mood swings, lets see if neurology are right, and I am OK by February
The one laugh I've had out of all this ?
The 12 year old registrar sent us all on his group a Christmas card and news letter with pictures of MRI scanners etc!