Why am I called the Miracle Man? My doctors, friends, and family call me this because I’ve had a pretty incredible journey since October 26th, 2015.
It was an ordinary day. I had worked with my patients, eaten dinner and eventually sat down to watch a TV program at 10 pm. That is the last thing I remember that day, as the rest has been told to me by others. I did not know when a blood clot went racing up to my brain, lodging in my middle cerebral artery. Without warning my vision, speech and the right side of my body were gone. I was left helpless, seemingly staring at the TV.
Due to the miracle of modern medicine and a fast track to the ER, I was given a clot destroying medicine called tPA. In about 10 minutes, things started coming back. I started moving my right leg and arm, I turned to look at the nurse and spoke a garbled sentence. After ICU and a short hospital stay, I was already walking several laps around the hallways, several times a day, I went home to rest and recover.
It seemed like a miracle, to my doctors, family, and friends, but it didn’t feel that way to me. I had a severe brain injury. I did not know how bad it was. I didn’t have any memory of how severe my stroke was prior to getting the clot-busting medicine. The healing process for my brain was only beginning. It was so hard to express myself. My speech was really poor and I had months of Speech Therapy. Then I was on my own. I was not able to go back to my job, I couldn’t even sign my name. I couldn’t concentrate at all. The words I wanted to say were not there. How was this a Miracle?
But looking back, I see how I am now and how far I’ve come, so maybe it has been a miracle. If you met me for the first time, you wouldn’t even know I’d had a stroke. Maybe I’ll speak a wrong word or I can’t find the word I’m trying to say, especially if I’m tired. Yes, my brain still gets very tired, especially with too much input, then I just have to rest. I still can’t write anything. I talk to my iPhone to text anyone. Thank God, Siri understands my words.
So Miracles do happen. In my next vlog, I’d like to tell you more about the dark years after my stroke, some of the prescription drugs that probably did more harm than good, although all were prescribed trying to help me heal.
