Be aware of your health

[Mr_Mod]

Here i am laying in bed at the Alfred Hospital here in Melbourne, why am i here
Thursday morning was like no other got up at 6am showered had breakfast and headed off to work at 8am. Got to work had a cuppa ànd had aslight headache  and took 2 panadol.
An hour later headache gone, proceeded to finish presentation before heading to see client. Packed my bag and said see you tomorrow. A colleague asked if i was ok as i looked tired.

Had meetting with client, and procceeded to head home, the colleague i was with rang but i hadnt got it on the handsfree so ignored it. A few minutes later a number of my other colleagues rang as well as the client. So thinking something had happened i stopped at the side of the road and rang my colleague who asked to stop the car and asked where i was.
Asking why he said we are concerned on your health, we are  calling an ambulance as you were mumbling through the meeting.
Met ambulance and asked shit loads of question and a few tests done before being taken to the Alfred with lights and sirens on.
Once admitted into ER further test done along with a CT before being admitted . My blodd preasure was 245 over 90 when i arrived
Have had ultraasounds, MRI and Xrays which have confirmed that i had a small stroke which they suspect which happened when i had the headache some 7 hours earlier.

Im am a 50 year old non smoker who rarely drinks, the only thing is i have also just been diagnosed as a diabetic whilst here. They beleive that this is what caused the stroke. All the flying i have done in past 18 months may have been a contributing factor as i had just done a Melbourne to brisbane then drive to the sunshine coast and back the day before. Prior to that i have done 12 trips fom melbourne to shanghai returns and 3 melbourne to singapore returns.

Now why am i writing this,
I urge all of you to be aware of your health, and do take note when a colleague asks you if your ok. If you have had a headache or speach sounds different or you face has dropped.
Just drop what your doing and get someone to call an ambulance, it may be what will keep you alive and pursue our wonderful hobby.

I have been told to take it easy and see a speach therapist, i can type but cant speak too well now. Also told to stay home and not worry about work

 

[Kev]

CRAP!!! is all I can really say. That's terrible.

I've been feeling like a ticking time bomb myself for a while, you're really making me think [embarassed]

Hope things improve for you rapidly.

Kev,

 

[charley1968]

Good luck to you. And don't worry about hour speech impediment, you'll surely be able to train it away. All the best for you!

 

[mwildt]

So sorry to hear about this. I truly hope you will recover quickly. Your advice is well noted.

 

[peter halle]

I commend all of those around you for caring and concern.  My thoughts are with you in these frankly scary times.

I echo your statements and also urge all to pay attention to day over day and week over week pain and oddities.  I learned the hard way and survived.  Getting older is not the only reason for little aches and pains.

On another note- three weeks ago my wife had a nosebleed.  Only the fourth time over the 27 years we have been together.  After 4 hours we went to an urgent care center.  After taking her blood pressure they immediately sent us to the emergency room.  Her blood pressure there was 245 over 137.  Stroke waiting to happen.  She is fine, but some of us primarily guys - myself included - might have tried to tough it out and then...

In the words of the past Dos Equis man- stay healthy my friends.

Peter

 

[RKA]

Sorry to hear about this, but certainly glad your colleagues picked up on the signs before any real damage manifested.  Best wishes for a speedy recovery!

 

[Kev]

Just on this, I don't have any specific health issues, but I do have a blood pressure monitor that I typically use around every week .. I like to know what's going on. They're quite cheap and at about a tenth of the cost of any Festool, nobody on the FOG should consider one a luxury. [wink]

 

[Stephen B]

[size=13pt]Best wishes for your speedy recovery. You certainly have some very caring colleagues.
[size=10pt]
I once ignored a growing Melanoma on my thigh. It couldn't be! This could not be happening to me! Finally I went to the Doctor, then a Specialist who operated within the week. If I had waited much longer, I most likely would not be writing this.

 

[JSlovic]

Amen to all this-
And if you're a man over 40 go see a cardiologist regardless of how you feel- I've lost 4 friends between 40 and 50 who just dropped dead from massive heart attacks.  I was lucky I just needed a valve job. 

 

[Sparktrician]

Hear, hear!!!  And if your doctor isn't listening when you fuss about something, get another doctor, and do it NOW.  Several years ago I was fussing about losing hearing in one ear and my then-doctor couldn't find anything amiss.  Years later I was found to have a brain tumor (acoustic neuroma) that, although since removed, has cost any remaining hearing on that side and left me with some facial paralysis, not unlike those that have had a stroke, despite two years of physical therapy.  I also now have to deal with 50% of a normal vestibular system due to the vestibular nerve having been cut to remove the tumor.  Keeping upright is sometimes a challenge, especially on uneven ground or when I can't see the horizon.  That means I wobble when I walk and get suspicious stares from constables that might possibly consider me to be half-trashed because I can't walk in a straight line or put my head back without going on my butt from involuntary dizziness. 

 

[bdiemer]

Mr Mod is so correct!! there is a direct relationship between damage done by a stroke and the Quickness of care. Do not  hesitate to get to the ER..All my best to you Mr. Mod and get well fast. I hope woodworking is as theroputic to you as it was for me..