Author Topic: I had a stroke  (Read 7647 times)

Brendalu

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I had a stroke
« on: October 04, 2008, 06:29:32 am »
I got up Tuesday morning with a really bad headache.  The more the morning progressed the worse I felt.  I called my daughter to tell her I couldn't pick up my grandson from school and she couldn't understand what I was saying.  The next thing I knew the paramedics, the police and my daughter were all standing around me in my living room.  Don't remember how I got there either!  Anyway, I got out of the hospital last night and have ahost of new meds to go along with the old meds and I will never, ever go back to that hospital or to those doctors!  I told them I was feeling very wonkeyheaded and they didn't have a clue and they thought I walked like a drunk and I said I always walk like that!  Duh!  Darn, haven't they ever seen an AN patient without balance.  Anyway I am on the hunt for some decent doctors who understand the interworkings of the AN personality and the mechanics of the AN brain. Wish me luck, cause this time I think I'm gonna need it.  I that I was slow the last time through, it ain't anything like this one.
Hugs to all,
Brenda the wenchy wench
Brenda Oberholtzer
AN surgery 7/28/05
Peyman Pakzaban, NS
Chester Strunk, ENT

ppearl214

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Re: I had a stroke
« Reply #1 on: October 04, 2008, 06:36:16 am »
Brenda,

I have no clue what to say.... unbelieveable!  I know you are going to find those that can treat and truly truly understand what we endure..... did this team that worked on you say you had a stroke?  MRA's done? 

Huggles..... oh, do I have healing huggles for you!

xo
Phyl
"Gentlemen, I wash my hands of this weirdness", Capt Jack Sparrow - Davy Jones Locker, "Pirates of the Carribbean - At World's End"

Soundy

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Re: I had a stroke
« Reply #2 on: October 04, 2008, 06:42:30 am »
Glad you are home and typing ... must have been scary for you and your family...and thankfully
you realized you couldn't pick up grandson and didn't leave to go get him a wish for continued
improvement is on the way

and I wish you luck on your search for new ,better doctors... that is one thing that has been hardest
for me ...finding someone that will take me and take what I say seriously... I love my regular doctor
and want him to go back to medical school and get training in ANs  :) ... I think he is the only one that
I truly trust and he is limited in what he can do for me , but is helping me doctor shop
3mm AN discovered Aug 2004
Translab July 2 ,2007
3.2cm x 2.75cm x 3.3cm @ time of surgery

wendysig

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Re: I had a stroke
« Reply #3 on: October 04, 2008, 10:06:20 am »
Hi Brendalu,
All I can say is how sorry I am this happened to you and hope you'll be okay.  I wish you luck in finding a wonderful doc who understands the whole picture and willl be the right one for you.  Please keep us posted on how you are doing.  I agree with Soundy, thank goodness you realized you couldn't go anywhere feeling as you did. 

Wendy
1.3 cm at time of diagnosis -  April 9, 2008
2 cm at time of surgery
SSD right side translabyrinthine July 25, 2008
Mt. Sinai Hospital, New York, NY
Extremely grateful for the wonderful Dr. Choe & Dr. Chen
BAHA surgery 1/5/09
Doing great!

MAlegant

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Re: I had a stroke
« Reply #4 on: October 04, 2008, 10:24:51 am »
Brendalu,
I'm so sorry to hear this.  It's incredible that you were able to get help as quickly as you did.  What are your doctors saying about this?  I hope you're getting good answers.
Best wishes,
Marci
3cmx4cm trigeminal neuroma, involved all the facial nerves, dx July 8, 2008, tx July 22, 2008, home on July 24, 2008. Amazing care at University Hospitals in Cleveland.

leapyrtwins

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Re: I had a stroke
« Reply #5 on: October 04, 2008, 10:29:09 am »
Oh my gosh, Brendalu, I'm so sorry to hear this.  Talk about something totally unexpected.

Glad you've feeling well enough to return to the Forum.

Hope you are able to find more helpful doctors.

I'll keep you in my prayers,

Jan
Retrosig 5/31/07 Drs. Battista & Kazan (Hinsdale, Illinois)
Left AN 3.0 cm (1.5 cm @ diagnosis 6 wks prior) SSD. BAHA implant 3/4/08 (Dr. Battista) Divino 6/4/08  BP100 4/2010 BAHA 5 8/2015

I don't actually "make" trouble..just kind of attract it, fine tune it, and apply it in new and exciting ways

Sue

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Re: I had a stroke
« Reply #6 on: October 04, 2008, 01:11:16 pm »
Wow, Brendalu, what can I say?  I guess you just gotta catch those curve balls that Life has a way of throwing at ya.  So glad you are home and back to recovery.  I suppose this also could come under " this could have been so much worse" catagory.

Thinking of you,

Sue in Vancouver USA
Sue in Vancouver, USA
 2 cm Left side
Diagnosed 3/13/06 GK 4-18-06
Gamma Knife Center of Oregon
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Kaybo

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Re: I had a stroke
« Reply #7 on: October 04, 2008, 02:15:17 pm »
Brenda~
WOW is right!  I think that you have had enough the last few weeks to last you for a few years!  Glad you feel well enough to type - I want to know EXACTLY what they said too.  Was it a stroke or did they just think that since you were "WONKY"?

K
Translab 12/95@Houston Methodist(Baylor College of Medicine)for "HUGE" tumor-no size specified
25 yrs then-14 hour surgery-stroke
12/7 Graft 1/97
Gold Weight x 5
SSD
Facial Paralysis-R(no movement or feelings in face,mouth,eye)
T3-3/08
Great life!

mindyandy

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Re: I had a stroke
« Reply #8 on: October 04, 2008, 02:17:39 pm »
Brenda
I'm glad hear help arrived when they did. I'm happy to hear your doing well. May that event never happen again. Please keep us posted on how you are feeling.
14mm dx 9/07. CK done Seattle  1 year MRI showed some shrinkage. 4 year MRI 2mm growth nothing conclusive. Trigminal nerve involvment Retrosigmoid Friedmand/Schwartz HEI March 7,2012

Jim Scott

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Re: I had a stroke
« Reply #9 on: October 04, 2008, 02:46:09 pm »
Hi, Brenda:

My, you certainly get your share of medical calamity.  The word 'stroke' is scary.  Was that a medical diagnosis?  It appears as if this was surmountable, as you're home and apparently able to function.  That the hospital doctors were clueless is disappointing.  I can only hope and pray that you'll be able to find better, more AN-savvy physicians that can help you.  Meanwhile, take it easy and try to remain the positive, valiant person you've proven yourself to be.  Many folks here admire your tenacity in the face of multiple and ongoing physical challenges.  Others face the same kinds of trials and you're an example of how to deal with this kind of hardship.  I only hope that it will be lessened for you in the near future.  :)

Jim
4.5 cm AN diagnosed 5/06.  Retrosigmoid surgery 6/06.  Follow-up FSR completed 10/06.  Tumor shrinkage & necrosis noted on last MRI.  Life is good. 

Life is not the way it's supposed to be. It's the way it is.  The way we cope with it is what makes the difference.

Brendalu

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Re: I had a stroke
« Reply #10 on: October 05, 2008, 04:02:39 am »
The neurologist, who has treated me many times before and ordered the CAT scan and MRI and the echocardiogram and several other test test said I had a stroke.  I also have an inner ear infection on the AN side  So I know take Plavix and an antibatic  wow I can't spell.  I also can't sleep or I am sleeping all the time and I am not able to use my left hand or arm.My nose runs constantly too.  Don't know if that has anything to do with what happened.  my foot drags a little.  I see a PT next week and a speech person the day after that and the shrink the day after that.  I need a new date book, I think mine is full.
I guess I am will try to get a little more sleep.  Thank you all for all of your well wishes, don't know what I would do without y'all.

Brenda
Brenda Oberholtzer
AN surgery 7/28/05
Peyman Pakzaban, NS
Chester Strunk, ENT

Kaybo

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Re: I had a stroke
« Reply #11 on: October 05, 2008, 06:23:54 am »
Oh Brenda!  I'm saying big prayers for you!!  You have had enough, but once again your spirits and attitude amaze me.

K
Translab 12/95@Houston Methodist(Baylor College of Medicine)for "HUGE" tumor-no size specified
25 yrs then-14 hour surgery-stroke
12/7 Graft 1/97
Gold Weight x 5
SSD
Facial Paralysis-R(no movement or feelings in face,mouth,eye)
T3-3/08
Great life!

wendysig

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Re: I had a stroke
« Reply #12 on: October 06, 2008, 01:20:56 pm »
Hi Brendalu,
I am praying for you and hope you will have a full reocvery from your stroke.  We ANers are a tough bunch and your gutsiness shows, you just can't keep a good woman down!  Good luck with PT I hope it does the trick.

Best wishes,
Wendy
1.3 cm at time of diagnosis -  April 9, 2008
2 cm at time of surgery
SSD right side translabyrinthine July 25, 2008
Mt. Sinai Hospital, New York, NY
Extremely grateful for the wonderful Dr. Choe & Dr. Chen
BAHA surgery 1/5/09
Doing great!

lori67

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Re: I had a stroke
« Reply #13 on: October 06, 2008, 02:42:51 pm »
Well, Brenda, no wonder you're exhausted - a full date book will do that to a girl, you know!   ;)

Seriously, take it easy and take good care of yourself.  I think you've had enough excitement for a while.

Lori
Right 3cm AN diagnosed 1/2007.  Translab resection 2/20/07 by Dr. David Kaylie and Dr. Karl Hampf at Baptist Hospital in Nashville.  R side deafness, facial nerve paralysis.  Tarsorraphy and tear duct cauterization 5/2007.  BAHA implant 11/8/07. 7-12 nerve jump 9/26/08.

Captain Deb

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Re: I had a stroke
« Reply #14 on: October 06, 2008, 03:13:16 pm »
AAAARRRRRR!!!!! Yer only needs one arm ter wield a cutlass, wench! And if anyone around here can wield one it be you!
Fiercest wench around, our Brendalu!

Relax, swaller them pills and get better, we needs our Brendau-wench and her pirattitude back onboard and sailing on!

Hugs and wenchy smooches,

Capt Deb
"You only have two choices, having fun or freaking out"-Jimmy Buffett
50-ish with a 1x.7x.8cm.AN
Mid-fossa HEI, Jan 03 Friedman & Hitselberger
Chronic post-op headaches
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