For the first time since my stroke, my D-Dimer protein is below 150 which is GREAT news. It's been in the high 300s for the past couple of months. From my last post, we all know, that's really not good so to have a number like 135 is really wonderful. This seems like one of the last pieces in my puzzle of health. A high number has been hanging over my head for some time and now that it's not, I feel that much closer to being 100%.
A couple of weeks ago, I found out a friend of mine from college also had a stroke. Another young person succumbs to a clot. What is going on?? He is fast on the road to recovery so I'm just putting him out there so we can all send him some good vibes. D.B., I'm thinking of you!
D-Dimer, I knew I'd kick your booty!
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Friday, November 25, 2011
Monday, November 7, 2011
True Love
Check out this beautiful love story from Stacy S., a fellow young stroke survivor.
LIKE the picture NOT the story and help her win a photo session with her beau :)
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10150910722270024&set=a.10150910720935024.747492.358879520023&type=3&theater
LIKE the picture NOT the story and help her win a photo session with her beau :)
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10150910722270024&set=a.10150910720935024.747492.358879520023&type=3&theater
Sunday, October 30, 2011
10.31.10-11.1.10
Halloween. It is one of my favorite holidays. I went out to dinner with my girlfriends as we did every year on All Hallows. Beforehand, I bbmed away discussing how I felt and what didn't feel right. I spelled things wrong and even joked about having a slow stroke. Against advice from everyone, I still went out. I dressed up as Johnnie Walker Blue. I was particularly excited by my costume this year and wasn't going to let me feeling sick deter me from showing off my top hat, sash and cane.
My friend and I stopped at a bar before dinner where I ordered a Guinness. As an old Irish doctor once told me, Guinness cures everything. I sat and sipped about a quarter of the glass and felt as miserable as I did when I came in. Aspirin, clove, beer, did not help. Nothing tasted right at dinner. Even one of my favorite dishes, veggie moo shoo did nothing more to me than licking a metal pipe would. As I stared at the ghouls in the street at the parade, I started to feel faint and excused myself. I got home, quickly got undressed and went to sleep.
I woke up in the middle of the night to drunken costumed New Yorkers laughing wishing that I was one of them. I had a searing pain in my neck and mouth. I called the emergency Doctor's line and was assured that I wasn't in danger and to just make an appointment with my Primary Care Physician for that week. I went back to sleep. I kept waking up every hour on the hour. Nothing helped my neck pain. My headache got worse. I sat in my living room, scared and watched infomercials in the dark. I thought it was indigestion and looked up solutions online. I ate an apple and tried to sleep again.
It's still hard to believe this happened to me but the details of that day are still fresh in my mind. I can hear the voices. I can taste that feeling in my mouth. I have to admit, today, I am a little scared but also very grateful. Still I play over the days at the hospital, grasping at every memory, every instance. I try to visualize my ICU room, the exact location on my right hand where the IV was, the sound of the heart monitor attached to my left pointer finger. I don't want to forget. I shouldn't forget.
I had a stroke at 29 and I survived. It happened a year ago and I'm trying so hard to smile right now but all I can do is sit here and reflect about how far I've come. Even typing this now, I find myself becoming very emotional. I am lucky. I am VERY lucky....
Thank you for reading. Thank you for caring. You know who you are. I am forever grateful.
For pushing me to go to the doctor,
For taking me to get my blood checked,
For being concerned,
For telling me I was strong,
For encouraging me to go on,
For believing in me,
For bringing me flowers,
For calling,
For hugs,
For making me laugh,
For being my friend,
For everything,
Thank you. I am here because of you.
My friend and I stopped at a bar before dinner where I ordered a Guinness. As an old Irish doctor once told me, Guinness cures everything. I sat and sipped about a quarter of the glass and felt as miserable as I did when I came in. Aspirin, clove, beer, did not help. Nothing tasted right at dinner. Even one of my favorite dishes, veggie moo shoo did nothing more to me than licking a metal pipe would. As I stared at the ghouls in the street at the parade, I started to feel faint and excused myself. I got home, quickly got undressed and went to sleep.I woke up in the middle of the night to drunken costumed New Yorkers laughing wishing that I was one of them. I had a searing pain in my neck and mouth. I called the emergency Doctor's line and was assured that I wasn't in danger and to just make an appointment with my Primary Care Physician for that week. I went back to sleep. I kept waking up every hour on the hour. Nothing helped my neck pain. My headache got worse. I sat in my living room, scared and watched infomercials in the dark. I thought it was indigestion and looked up solutions online. I ate an apple and tried to sleep again.
It's still hard to believe this happened to me but the details of that day are still fresh in my mind. I can hear the voices. I can taste that feeling in my mouth. I have to admit, today, I am a little scared but also very grateful. Still I play over the days at the hospital, grasping at every memory, every instance. I try to visualize my ICU room, the exact location on my right hand where the IV was, the sound of the heart monitor attached to my left pointer finger. I don't want to forget. I shouldn't forget.
I had a stroke at 29 and I survived. It happened a year ago and I'm trying so hard to smile right now but all I can do is sit here and reflect about how far I've come. Even typing this now, I find myself becoming very emotional. I am lucky. I am VERY lucky....
Thank you for reading. Thank you for caring. You know who you are. I am forever grateful.
For pushing me to go to the doctor,
For taking me to get my blood checked,
For being concerned,
For telling me I was strong,
For encouraging me to go on,
For believing in me,
For bringing me flowers,
For calling,
For hugs,
For making me laugh,
For being my friend,
For everything,
Thank you. I am here because of you.
10.30.10
Didn't feel like myself. Went to work in a hat without my hair combed and a black sweater, that is clearly imprinted in my mind. My head hurt. Someone from work came by and asked for some items. I said I wasn't feeling well. She left. I ran to the bathroom and threw up. I went back to my desk, packed my things up and left. I threw up again at security, I'm sure the guard appreciated that all went in the garbage can. Went straight to sleep once I got home.
Nothing tasted right. My mom brought me one of my favorite dishes from a local restaurant to get me to eat. It tasted like metal. I went back to sleep. Something was definitely wrong but I didn't call the doctor. I waited.
Lesson Learned
Calling the doctor can't ever hurt. Waiting can.
Nothing tasted right. My mom brought me one of my favorite dishes from a local restaurant to get me to eat. It tasted like metal. I went back to sleep. Something was definitely wrong but I didn't call the doctor. I waited.
Lesson Learned
Calling the doctor can't ever hurt. Waiting can.
Saturday, October 29, 2011
Someone Who Came To Mind
 |
| Dory, Disney's first character who clearly has a brain injury. |
Where was I going?
There, there, it's alright, it will be ok.
Just keep swimming, just keep swimming.
Who are you?
Just keep swimming, just keep swimming.
My poor little short term memory'd fish, you make what sometimes happens to me a little funny. Thanks for making me smile and encouraging me to keep swimming.
:)
10.29.10
 |
| Grateful I can still run my fingers through my hair. |
Lesson Learned
Don't wait until you're in dire straights to beautify yourself a little. Even doing something for yourself as small as a blowout will make you feel better. There's only one you, why not have it be your best you! I'm doing things to beautify my outer as well as my inner. Even slapping a coat of polish onto my nails myself helps me after a long day.
Small victories.
Blessed.
Friday, October 28, 2011
10.27.10-10.28.10
Migraines migraines everywhere.
Lesson Learned
Stay home when afflicted with them. Don't try and do things. You'll lose. The key to getting rid of a migraine is sleeping, avoiding light and sometimes, lavender. Lavender calms the little monsters kicking your hemispheres.
If that fails, call your doctor, don't wait. If what he/she is saying doesn't work for you, get a second opinion. Health is not something to play with.
Small victories.
Blessed.
Lesson Learned
Stay home when afflicted with them. Don't try and do things. You'll lose. The key to getting rid of a migraine is sleeping, avoiding light and sometimes, lavender. Lavender calms the little monsters kicking your hemispheres.
If that fails, call your doctor, don't wait. If what he/she is saying doesn't work for you, get a second opinion. Health is not something to play with.
Small victories.
Blessed.
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