The night of February 23, 2007

I had just finished watching a movie with Madeline.  So I got up, grabbed the phone and flopped on the bed to talk with Pete who was on his way home from a week-long business trip.  While talking Pete said," Honey, I can't understand you.  " 

 I replied, " I am having trouble enunciating my words and you know what?  I also can't get off the bed."

     "What do you mean You can't get off the bed? "

     "I am lying on my tummy and can't push myself up. "  Sensing something was really wrong, I whimpered,"When are you going to be home?"  

     "I'm just getting off the freeway."  I hung up  and I thought to myself, perhaps if I slide to the floor I will be able to get up by pushing myself up off the firmer surface.  Once on the floor I knew I was stuck until Pete got home which was about 5 minutes later. I was unable to  move! I called for Madeline who, back in her room could not hear me. So I waited.  When Pete got home, he called for me but I couldn't answer as I was barely conscious. Searching from our bathroom past the bed and into the hall he couldn't find me because he did  not know to look on the floor between the wall and the bed.  He called for Madeline who did not know where I was either.  She began to search for me as well.   After they found and sat me up  Madeline took one look at my face  and exclaimed,"Daddy, what's wrong with Mommy's face?"

     "Oh my God she's having a stroke!!", to which I belligerently replied, I am not having a f&*!@* stroke!  Well, I could not have been more wrong!!  In the CCU that 1st night, I was in and out of consciousness and only remember snippets of conversations.  One was "It's inoperable." Not comforting words I must say. Pete recounted to me later that at one point the OR was moving very frantically as I was slipping away. They worked hard to precipitously drop my blood pressure (BP) to slow and eventually stop the hemorrhage. I spent 7 days in the CCU where I learned that the cause of this massive deep brain hemorrage was very high blood pressure. A blood vessel simply broke under the strain.  The irony is that all of my life, doctors have commented on my low blood pressure .  The last time I'd seen the doctor prior to my stroke was the previous August.  The doctor made no comment about my BP and 6 months later I landed up in the CCU!  Go Figure!  Since my stroke I can't tell you the number of people who have exclaimed, "Of all the people I know you are the most healthy & fit and the last I'd suspect of suffering a stroke. So that leaves me with, It CAN happen to anyone at anytime.

Next post?  I will begin the story of my recovery.