The Week My Life Forever Changed

 Facebook post from November 25, 2013

 Today marks the one month anniversary of my stroke.  I have had many people ask me to share the symptoms that I had.  Please do not judge me for my stupidity.  I judge myself and ask the "what if's" enough for all of us.  I was scared and in denial and I honestly didn't think that a 32 two-year-old, healthy person could be having a stroke.

It all started on Monday, October 21.  At about 9:30 that morning I about passed out at school.  I went tingly from head to toe and got really lightheaded.  I chalked it up to having a low blood sugar because I had not had breakfast yet that morning.  So I rushed to my office and grabbed something to eat.  Afterwords, I felt better.  Monday afternoon I got a call that Jaelyn was sick at school so I went to pick her up.  I spent the whole night caring for her as she battled the flu.  Early Tuesday morning I woke up with my fingertips tingling and just feeling like I was going to get the flu.  By 8 o'clock on Tuesday morning I began to throw up.  I continued to throw up during the day and just simply thought that I had the flu.  By the end of Tuesday all five fingers on my left hand were tingling and the five toes on my left foot were tingling.  The last time I threw up was at 4 pm on Tuesday.

I woke up on Wednesday, October 23 just feeling like I had been hit by a truck.  I had no energy and by this time my entire left hand was tingling and my left foot and halfway up my calve was tingling.  I went to my massage therapist and to the chiropractor hoping that I had a pinched nerve or something and they could relieve the pressure.   Both found a huge knot on my left shoulder blade.  When they put pressure on it, I could feel it all the way up my neck and down my arm.  My hips were completely out of whack so I thought that there was a good chance that it was the problem.  Plus, I called my OB nurse who didn't seem worried.  She told me that many pregnant women experience Bell's palsy type symptoms and that it was normal.

On Thursday morning I woke up feeling the same.  I felt so guilty for not having been at school that I decided I was going to go.  When I was in the shower, I was washing my face and my face felt tingly.  I still went to school and tried to start the day.  But I broke down to one of my friends because I was simply terrified.  At this point I figured there was probably something really wrong.  One of my awesome coworkers took me to the doctor.  At the doctors office they checked me over from head to toe.  I could still talk, I still had my memory, I did not have any facial drooping, and my reflexes and strength we're still normal.   My doctor thought it was related to the flu and that it was viral and it would be gone in 5 to 7 days.  She sent me to Sartori Hospital to get fluids because she thought I was just dehydrated.  While I was getting fluids, I started to get a headache.  When I was done with fluids, I didn't feel any better.  I remember asking the nurses if I could have something wrong with my brain.  They called my doctor back who assured them that I was fine and they sent me on my way.  Naturally, Patrick and I were worried about the baby.  Sartori did not have a fetal monitor so we went back to covenant to my OB.  They told me the same thing there, but we were able to hear the baby's heartbeat and at least got piece of mind that way.

So, we went home.   My Mom came and picked up our little ones so I could rest and Seeri stayed with us since she had school the next day.   I watched a movie and ate some pizza in bed with her.   I laid my head back on our headboard at one point in time and my vision went a little blurry.   So, when she went to bed, so did I.  I remember thinking, "if I just get some rest, I will feel better when I wake up.  My doctor says I am okay.  I just need to fight through the next couple of days."  Well, when I woke up it felt like I had drank three bottles of vodka.  The entire room was spinning, I had a headache, my tingling had advanced to my entire arm and leg and when I went to pick up my phone to check the time I could not grip it in my left hand.  So, I told Patrick we needed to go to the hospital.

By the time we got there, I couldn't stand to open my eyes or move because everything was spinning.  The ER doctor was neurology.   He did all kinds of strength and movement exercises on me.   He had me tell my story, repeat things, smile, and stick out my tongue.  They took a whole bunch of blood work that all came back perfect and my heart and BP were also perfect.   So, at the end of his evaluation he took a step back and stood there for a few minutes.   Finally he said, "well, let's just take a CT scan just to make sure."  When they laid me down for my scan I threw up....A LOT.   After that, the nausea continued and they started pumping me full of medicine to help it.  We then found out that I had a bleed in the Pons or brain stem of my brain and I was airlifted to University of Iowa Hospital.  When I got there they took another CT scan that revealed that I hadn't bled anymore since I had left Covenant Hospital. 

I wanted to share this because I was not your "traditional" stroke patient.   Unlike most, I was coherent, had memory, still had strength and could function on my left side up until the end.  I really couldn't tell you when my stroke actually occurred.  My best guess is on Monday morning because what I felt when I about passed out was just not normal.  But, I also don't know if it is even possible to go that long without major side effects or damage occurring before that.  What I do know is that my health saved my life.   If my heart rate would have been faster or my BP higher, I would have bled much faster and with much more force which would have been all sorts of bad.   I also know that my health is what has made my recovery thus far so successful.  I also know that brain stem bleeds are no joke and that I am one extremely lucky and blessed girl.

I am happy to report that I will be going home tomorrow!   I still have a long way to go but I am thrilled with my progress so far.  My doctors are very positive and I am very hopeful.  I am just glad I get to be home for the holidays.

God bless and happy Thanksgiving!

I will never forget the events of that week.  The way I felt, what I thought, the look on Patrick's face; I will always remember it.  It was the week my life forever changed.