Hi there,
i would just like to say thankyou, my Dad died 2 years ago and i always wanted to know what he felt like and if it was painful. He did have a major bleed in the brain. Your story has helped me understand what happened to him that night. Thankyou

Get well soon

James left out some information most likely because he simply doesn’t remember. What we went through that night scared me beyond words. My best friend is an O/T (Occupational therapist). Her specialty is stroke rehab. I called her on the way to the hospital. She met us there. Between she and I, the triage nurse had no choice but to take him back and get him treated quickly. If they hadn’t, I think my friend would have grabbed the cuff, taken his vitals, and admitted him herself.

It frustrates me that when an intelligent, clean, and well spoken family comes to the E/R for treatment, they are basically thrown into the system.

I must get this off my chest so please forgive me, but, “Damn it e/r staff-listen to me. I’m not stupid. I know that time is of the essance for a stroke victim. I know that I should have called an abulance, but I didn’t. I know my husband. Next time, could you listen to me? Please?”

OK, better now.

Readers, please encourage Mr. JK that he must continue to take care of himself and do EVERYTHING his doctors (AND WIFE) tell him to do. EVERYTHING! Not just the easy stuff.

James,

Thank you so much for sharing your experience. I am very happy that you survived basically unscathed – especially considering the time delay. My mother suffered a major stroke a couple of years ago and is now in a nursing home, 100% dependent on her caregivers. Later analysis reveled she had suffer a number of minor stokes (“bleeds” as they called them) prior, but detection and prevention of those is beyond our abilities today – as you know. Anyway, you are a luck man and I’m glad you are still going strong.

Good luck with your continued recovery and I wish you many, many happy and healthy years ahead.

Martin

My pleasure, James, especially after all the fantastic information I have gotten and keep getting from your blog. You and Kevin are doing a fantastic job here and, since I visit daily, I selfishly hope that you will continue to share your unique perspective on mobile devices for a good long time!

Alain, great information and duly noted. Thanks!

All the very best M8. My thoughts are with you and yours!

James, I forgot some crucial information. Likely your physicians have advised you – mine did not tell me the whole story after my own ischemic stroke. Because you have already had a stroke, you are at greater risk than the rest of the world. If you do have another one, you have to take into consideration that

(1) You could be anywhere when it happens; at a business, among strangers at a Starbucks, etc.
(2) If it happens again, the effects could be worse than the first time; you might not have the power of speech, for instance, in which case you would unable to tell the people around you what’s going on.
(3) If a second stroke is more severe, the time factor will be WAY more critical than the first time around.

If you don’t already have one, please make sure you get a Medic-Alert bracelet or necklace. Emergency responders are trained to look for these, and they can save valuable minutes trying to figure out what’s going on.

In the event of a major ischemic stroke, your immediate family *MUST* ensure that medical staff are at least thinking of administering a TPA. This is a life-saving clot busting injection that, if it is given within 2 hours of stroke onset, can prevent most of the brain damage or long-lasting deficits that a stroke can cause (temporary or permanent aphasia, paralysis, loss of short-term recall, blindness, etc.)- medical types like to refer to these delights as “deficits.”

In my case, I have permanently impaired balance and some facial numbness that, after 2 years, refuses to go away. No fun.

Anyway, sorry to be so long-winded, but since you’re virtually a family member (I agree with Woadan) I want to know you have the information you need. Strokes suck, big-time!

I wish you the very best recovery.

Warm regards,

Alain C.

James,

What I like about JKOTR compared to other gadget blogs IS the human element. When I read your blog, I not only learn about new devices, I am able to visualize through your gifted story-telling how I might be able to use those devices. I don’t always agree with your analysis, but I clearly understand the basis for your thoughts. I enjoy the coffee break segments too. Your “from the heart” series is one that I hope doesn’t have any more entries. Oh, it’s extremely well-written and thought-provoking. I just don’t want you to experience any more of these events! I’ve never met you or Kevin, but I consider you both my friends from the way you relate to your audience like friends. Thank you for another entry “from the heart.”

Hi James,

Thank you for sharing your experience of your stroke in such clear and helpful terms. As you wrote I could visualize what was taking place in your body.

I am a specialist in neuroscince (I have a PhD in neuroscience and consciousness) and have done a fair deal of research on the functioning of the human brain (in various situations ranging from regular functioning to abnormal states of consciousness as a result of irregular functioning or damage to the brain). My interests and discoveries have been academic rather than therapeutic.

I was pleased to hear that you are well and that you have recovered. The brain is amazingly resilient and capable of recovery at an incredible rate! I’m sure you don’t need any encouragement, however, to take care of your vascular system (which is much less complex but much more difficult to control in our ‘McDonalds’ and cholesterol driven world!)

I have encountered so many people (even my own father) who did not turn to the emergency services right away. My experience is that it is most often men who do so (I have tended to be same, sadly) and it can have dire consequences!

With a very severe stroke a quick intervention by a trained person can mean the difference between permanent damage (such as paralysis, aphasia, and even death), and minor damage that is reversible.

Well, know that you remain in my prayers! We need you to stay healthy, strong, with all of your faculties in tact to taunt us with GREAT gadgets!

Thanks for the blog, and for your vulnerability in this post.

Regards,

Dion

I am glad you got into the hospital so quickly. I developed a severe pain in my side one day and went to Willowbrook’s ER. I was there for literally 14 hours, 10 of those waiting to be seen by anyone. In the end, they couldn’t find a damn thing and the pain subsided. I figured today that I had a minor kidney stone considering the location of the pain, but the 14 hours seemed a bit obscene. So, when I read that you deferred calling 911, I expected your next paragraph would be about the next 6 hours sitting and waiting.

I suppose they figured my problem really wasn’t that bad after all and would go away. Bah. :-/

Mike, you have to understand that while I felt I was aware of everything with total clarity I was also “fuzzy” or not understanding everything as well as I would pre-stroke. Plus the human tendency is always to think that something will pass and not be an “event”.

>>>It was very tiny, in fact the Neurologist told me that had it been the 3 mm that the admitting doctor had written in the report that I would have been a vegetable.

OK, that’s the frikkin SCARIEST sentence I have read this year — and you know I’ve been watching our economy go down the drain too, but you just beat all that!

And of course I’ve linked to you and to your heart report again.

Why did you go lay down?! Why not call 911 immediately? That what I don’t understand. You can’t tough out stuff like that!

Thank you all so much for your kind words. I hope that this does raise the awareness of what can be although I hope none of you has to find out. I am doing very, very well and thankful each day for that. You guys are part of the family, even those of you who kick my butt in Scrabulous. Take care, everyone!

Thanks for sharing your personal experience. In doing so, you may have saved the life of one of your readers who might recognize the warning sides and take them for the serious ones they are.

I am thankful you have recovered…. I know you have one or two cell phones there at “the Manor”. Keep one close by….and if there ever is a next time… dial 911 (please)

And Genghis’s comment wasn’t there when I started mine!

Yeah, I think Woadan probably echoed the thoughts of many of us who’ve been concerned and wondering about how you are doing in the aftermath of your stroke, but who didn’t want to bring it up. Thanks from me too for telling the story. It could be helpful to some of us in the future … .