Credit – Gardiner Family Chiropractic
We had two more doctor appointments today and finally have answers.
Last month my husband had a stroke. His speech and mobility were affected. He is stronger every day, getting better and better. Our son came back from Thailand to help us deal with this. Getting answers as to what my husband needed to prevent another have been quite an ordeal.
The short answer is that what we have been doing for the last two weeks – baby aspirin and Plavix – should be all that is needed. Neurocranial surgery is not needed. No invasive procedures are needed. We have some issues remaining that require referrals to other specialists, but the big worry is now fading away. We can concentrate on the day to day and get to our new normal now.
Lessons learned:
- Stay at the ER until you have talked to the ER doctor – no matter what. The fast referrals will come from the ER doc. If you leave, you are at the back of any line for any appointment, procedure, test, etc.
- Be the squeaky wheel. You can be polite, but keep the procedure going. Call or write the people who can make things happen. If they say someone will call, don’t depend on that. You are in charge of your healthcare. You are the one who can keep the focus on the problem, actually GET seen, GET answers, GET help.
- Don’t try to deal with life-changing things alone. Don’t be afraid to ask for help from your friends, neighbors, relatives.
- Be ready when someone else needs YOUR help – help in whatever way you can. It is ALL good.
- Try your best to stay calm and do the best you can where you are, with the tools you have. It’s all you can do.
- BREATHE
We are lucky. We can do this. Such relief!
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This is such a positive news, Linda 🙂
Good to read, that your husband have been checked and found okay again.
Enjoy a peaceful weekend!
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thanks, Irene. We are so lucky. I hope your weather can cool off soon, and that you have a peaceful weekend, as well.
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Thank you Linda.
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I am so sorry about your husband’s stroke, but glad things are calming down. I’ve been there. Tale care of yourself. Your lessons learned are good ones.
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We lucked out, Robin, and I’m SO thankful. Thanks for letting me know the lessons learned might help someone else.
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Thank you, Genie. I hope that you came out well on your experience with this. It’s hard, isn’t it.
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It is very hard. Bob’s came out with basically no lasting physical problems for which we are grateful. There were some personality changes though that took getting used to. He had just started a new job and was without insurance so his hospital care was not good. They just sent him home with no aftercare, no followup, no instructions for taking care of him, no support. We were on our own till I could find a doctor who would agree to take him as a patient. I hope you have good medical care and emotional support.
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Wow. I’m so sorry, Genie. My husband is his own worst enemy. He demanded we leave the ER before we saw the doctor. That caused all kinds of problems. We have worked through those, finally, and lucked out on his symptoms improving. We are more than relieved that no surgery seems indicated. We still have issues regarding the circulation in his legs and feet, but those are diabetic problems, rather than stroke-related. We feel very lucky we finally got an appointment (although it took a month from his stroke) who would see him. We are on Humana, so pretty good medical care, and our son came from Thailand to help us through this. I would have lost it without him. I wish you and Bob the very best going forward. Hang in there.
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OMG, Linda! I am so sorry, but thankful for you and your Hubby that it wasn’t more severe. If you had shared the info about the stroke in an early post, I am really sorry I missed it.
I wasn’t wondering what happened when you shared you had to pass on the foreign exchange student, but thought it rude to question you about it.
(((Hugs)))
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I didn’t want to write anything about it before, Robin, until I hopefully had something positive to say. Yes, that’s why we had to opt out of the foreign student program. We did get to meet Alessandro. He won the lottery on host families, though, and we will go watch him play soccer at the school. :0)
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God is with you and your family .thank you for sharing with us .it is agreat lesson I have learnt .
All the best God bless you all
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Thanks very much, Reagan, for your kind words AND for following my blog. :0)
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