Before I get too deep into this post, I must tell you that I fully recovered from this episode. Multiple doctors and neurologists have confirmed that I have no deficits, no residuals, and I am home resting and doing well. Because this part of my story has only just started, you should know that this is the second of many blogs that I will write about this event in my life. Read I had a Stroke on Saturday night Part 1 for events that led up to this post. Stay tuned! I am still processing what happened and I find that writing about it helps me and my loved ones, so thank you for reading. I feel blessed...
Part 2:
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| This is not a picture of the machine that was used in the hospital. It is an image I grabbed off of Google. I did not take this picture. |
I opened my eyes and saw that i was looking up from inside a CT Scan machine. Was I supposed to have my eyes opened and looking up there? Probably not, so I decided to keep them closed. I realized then that I was no longer in the ambulance, so I must now be in the hospital. I must’ve blacked out. I don’t remember getting out of the ambulance and going into this room. When the machine stopped spinning above me, I felt the bed move and slide out. I felt so hot, and I was burning up and so I ripped the covers off of me. Instantly I heard the nurses in the room start yelling and excitedly cheering, “Look! She’s moving her left arm! Yeah! She’s moving her left arm!” Why, I thought? Was I not able to move my left arm? I was confused.
They moved me to another bed, opened the door and rolled me across the hallway into a room within the ER unit. About 8 nurses immediately surrounded my bed. One asked me questions about my name, DOB, etc. One was undressing me and putting the hospital gown on me. Two of them were putting IV’s in, one on each arm. Oh but wait, I already had an IV on my left arm. She asked if they put that on in the ambulance. I said, “I guess so.” Another one was taking my blood sugar-this time it was 99. Another one was drawing blood from me. It felt like they were all talking to me all at once, and it was so overwhelming. Everything was still kind of blurry and I still had double vision. Why am I still seeing double????
Crickett, I remember her name, Crickett, was my nurse in the ER. She was taking my blood pressure, and was the one talking to me and telling me what was going to happen next. Dr. Lee came in and stood to my left, she introduced herself to me as my doctor. I remember Dr. Lee because she was the first person I was able to see clearly. Wow, I was able to focus on her, no double vision. This made me so happy! She stood on my left side. I noticed that if I look left, my vision was good. The door to the room was on the left. Oh good, there’s Sean! He came in and sat down on the chair on the left side of the room. I don’t remember what we said to each other, but I could see the relief on his face. I told Crickett that my vision was good when I looked left, but not right. She shined a flashlight and told me to follow up, then she asked me to focus on her nose as she moved the light to the left, then right. She mentioned something about a "delay in the right something-something." I was worried and she knew it. She told me to relax, that it would come back and not last. I believed her.
Someone else came in the room, and asked me if I had insurance. I said yes. She asked, who my carrier was. It took me a few seconds to remember but then the words “Blue Cross Blue Shield” came out of my mouth. I was glad I remembered. There was a moment there when I didn’t know what to say….She asked if I had the card and I said the card was in my purse, and Sean added that my purse was in the car. The nurse said not to worry.
Another doctor came in. Dr. Philip. He said Dr. Lee had gone home and he was taking over. He told me he was going to be sending out tests (which meant he needed more blood from me) and asked me if I had ever had high blood pressure before. I told him I was diagnosed two years ago, but that I was able to manage myself off the meds through diet and exercise. He asked me if I remember what the name of the medication was. I didn’t think I would know, but then I remembered, Benicar. I told him I was on Benicar. But only for a few months and then my doctor allowed me to discontinue use because my numbers improved through my own efforts with improving my diet and getting on a regular exercise regimen. I was relieved that I remembered the name of the medicine. It felt good to know that I still had good memory and seemed to know what was going on. Although, in hindsight, I really did not have a clue what was going on at the moment or why this all happened.
When things calmed a bit, I turned to Sean and told him I was hungry. At this point it was 7:30pm, and I had hunger pangs as I was thinking that had this not happened, we would’ve just been finishing up our massages and heading to dinner. He asked Crickett if I could get some food. She said not yet. Crickett told me when I was admitted that my blood pressure was 202/111. It was starting to come down, but was still very high. Later I found out, that they hadn’t ruled out a stroke yet and didn’t want me to eat because they didn’t know if my swallowing abilities were compromised. So instead she offered me Ginger Ale. I don’t drink soda. But yeah ok, that’s better than nothing. And as I took a sip from the straw, she watched and put her finger on my throat as I swallowed. She said, “Good!”
A nurse came in to take my blood sugar. I asked her why? They took it already a little while ago and it was 99. She asked me if I was diabetic. I said no. I told her the EMT’s gave me a sweet gooey substance while I was in the ambulance to bring my blood sugar up. It tasted like jelly donut filling from what I can remember. She pricked my finger anyway and took my blood sugar again. Fine, I thought! Prick my finger again. Well, 99 she confirmed. I said i know, they did that already.
Another nurse came in to draw blood from me. Sean and I were surprised because they had taken so much just minutes before. Crickett checked it out to make sure it was warranted. Crickett confirmed, “Yup, these are all sendouts,” which I later learned refers to bloodwork or blood tests. I don’t know why, but I trusted Crickett right away.
Crickett told me the result from the CT Scan was good. No blockages that they could detect. I liked Crickett. She was thorough. She spoke slowly and clearly to me. She looked in my eyes to make sure I was understanding her. And her eye makeup was on point! If you know me well, you know I appreciate good eye makeup! Anyway, she informed me that they were going to next do a CTA scan to examine the blood vessels in my brain. This would involve injecting me with a dye to make sure there were no blood leakages in or around my brain. Crickett said maybe I could eat after that test. I was again on my way to the room where that machine was. As soon as I got there, a nurse came over and injected me with the dye. I remember feeling warm all over as the dye spread through my vessels. It felt so warm that it felt like I was peeing on myself. Good thing Crickett told me this would happen so I knew not to panic and think that I was really wetting myself! The feeling however, didn’t last too long. And the CTA was over fairly quickly from what I remember, and I was wheeled back to my room where Sean was waiting.
Hooked up to my arm was the blood pressure monitor which was taking a reading fairly frequently. The balloon on my arm would fill up with air and I remember feeling the pain that it created as it pushed against the IV on my left arm. It was very unpleasant to say the least. My blood pressure was now somewhere in the 170s/90s. Crickett gave me the green light for food. Good! I was starving. But first I had to pee! Where is the bathroom? She told me they would bring a commode in. What? Why? I can walk to the bathroom, that’s silly, I thought! She said, because my blood pressure was still high, they didn’t want me standing or walking around. I had no choice but to pee in the room with Sean looking right at me. OMG, I thought. HAHAHA Just like at home!
One of the nurses heard we were hungry so she brought food for Sean and I. Wow! I must say that the nurses were very nice, kind, and warm. The blood pressure monitor hooked up to my arm was hurting me so I asked Sean to take it off while I ate my sandwich. The sandwich was the best-tasting bad sandwich I ever had! We devoured the cold chicken sandwiches and crackers. And it wasn’t enough. Sean asked me if i would eat some pizza if he ordered a pie. I of course said, Yes! So he called for pizza delivery. They said it would take about 30 mins. I asked another nurse to put the monitor back up my arm and she told me firmly and sternly never to take if off again because they need my readings. I felt like a child the way she spoke to me. “Ok,” I said. I knew she was right.
Sean and I talked about calling my parents and my brother Gum. But I didn’t have my phone on me because it was in my purse, which was in the car. I didn’t want him to leave me alone so he said he would get it when the pizza arrived downstairs. I really didn’t know what to tell my parents. I didn’t want anyone to worry. We were still waiting to find out what really happened.
The neurologist, Dr. Dani came in to explain how they would bring my blood pressure down slowly. Because it had been so high, he said lowering it all the way to normal state quickly wasn’t a good idea especially because I had probably been living with high pressure for quite some time. So this would be a slow process. For now my bp was around 160s/90s.
The next moments were spent waiting. Waiting for results of the scans. Waiting for someone to let us know what was going to happen next. Waiting for pizza.
Pizza came and went quickly. I had a slice, and it was the best slice I ever had! Both CT and CTA scans came back negative according to Crickett. She said no blockages, no hemorrhage. I didn’t have stroke. She said sometimes really high blood pressure can create symptoms that mirror that of a stroke. I was happy to hear this. I then remembered that my phone was actually in my vest pocket and not in the car. My vest was with me in the room in a plastic bag with all of my belongings so Sean grabbed the bag and retrieved the phone. I called my Dad's cell because I thought he would be calmer and easier to talk to. I didn't want to get upset. And I knew that talking to my Mom would make me very emotional. So I called and spoke to him first, then her. Sean spoke to my Mom too. We told them what we knew to be true at that time which to me sounded like good news-that I was rushed to the hospital for high blood pressure, that the symptoms mirrored that of a stroke, but that I didn’t have one according to the CT scans. I told them they were going to keep me overnight for observation especially since my blood pressure was still very high. My mom sounded worried, and asked if I had an MRI done. I said no. She said I needed to get that. Here she goes again, I thought...knowing better than the doctors.
As soon as we got off the phone with my parents, Crickett said we would be heading up to my room soon. She also informed me that I have an MRI for my brain scheduled in the morning, as well as an Echocardiogram to look at my heart. Hmmm, I thought. My mom was on point about the MRI. She always knows whats best. I know I'll regret writing that sentence as soon as she reads this, because my mother loves being right! Gee I guess that's where I get it from? (Sigh) But it's true. Mothers do always know best...
To be continued...
For Part 1, read I had a Stroke on Saturday night Part 1
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