As a follow-up from last week’s story about the broken tooth, I have good news. I took the broken half with me to the dentist and he cemented it back in, cost me $96.00 in total. It turns out that it was a 3/4 crown. I’m very thankful it cost me so little!
Growing up in Oliver I had the usual run in with injuries but no broken bones until I caught my fingers in a power hacksaw at school, Mr. Borgeault was not impressed! When I was unable to perform the expected tasks in metal work class because of my bandages, Mr. Borgeault terminated me.
I had a minor crash as a teenager with my Honda 90cc motorbike as well as a minor one with my 750cc BMW motorcycle. Auntie Kay tolerated my purchase of the Honda but was scared spit-less when I brought home the BMW. She knew what happens when a young man and a motorcycle come together.
I survived all the nonsense and left it all behind when I left the Valley to seek my fame and fortune. Actually, I left only the motorcycles behind and took the nonsense with me.
Throughout my life, I have had several hernia operations, prostate surgery, several car crashes, but nothing life threatening, until July 12 of this year.
I awakened in the morning lying on my back. My left arm was numb as if I had slept on it. I arose from the bed and removed my mouth guard but spoke as if my mouth guard was still in place.
I thought, am I having a stroke? I tried to shake the numbness out of my arm when Nelly awakened and asked me what was wrong. I told her I thought I was having a stroke, I heard my speech slurring.
I told her we had to go to the hospital. I started to dress but when it came to my shirt my fingers on my left hand wouldn’t clutch the buttons. I got one done up but then couldn’t undo it when I decided to wear a button-less shirt. Finally I got it all organized.
By the time we arrived at the hospital the numbness was fading away and my speech was not slurred anymore. After the paper work was done we sat and waited for 2.5 hours and still saw no doctor. By that time I felt fine. If I did have a stroke nobody seemed worried about it so why should I?
I checked out of the hospital, went home, got organized and went to work. I felt fine at work. The next day, July 13, I would call my doctor and get his opinion.
On Monday I got an appointment right away. “Yes,” the doctor said, “it appears that you have had a TIA which stands for Transient Ischemic Attack. It is the body’s way of warning you that a more serious stroke will be coming if you don’t get treatment.”
The doctor told me I shouldn’t have left the hospital because the next three days are crucial when it comes to strokes. The serious one could come during those three days!
He sent me for tests; blood test, carotid artery test, echo-cardiogram, and a CT scan. He got me started on drugs, low dose aspirin and low dose rosuvastatin. And then he went on vacation, I guess he figured he needed it after he dealt with my nonsense.
The stroke did something to my brain. I became more focused than I’d ever been. The details that used to bother me didn’t, the thought clutter that once bombarded me from past missed opportunities stopped.
I seemed to have more energy too, I wanted to get things done now rather than later as had been my nature. I had moments of euphoria when time seemed to hesitate briefly. Then it was back to reality, to refocus and get on with the job. It was an exciting time for me.
The story doesn’t end here, there is more to come, so I will finish it off next week.
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