TAKE YOUR MEDS AND STAY ON YOUR DIET!!!

[rdevous]

 
Here's my story and I'm sticking to it!!!  LOL

On New's Year Day, I was watching the parade on TV.  A little of 1:00 PM I was tired, having been up late New Year's Eve so went to lay down in my bed.  I woke up at 4:00 PM and noticed my left arm floppy like I had slept wrong on it.  I got up and went out to my recliner to watch some TV until it felt better,  My sister took my grand nephews home after spending the night while their parents went out.  When she came back, I told her that my arm felt the same so we took my BP and it was175/107.   I asked her to take me to the VA Hospital in DC.  When we got there they checked my BP and it was still high but had come down slightly.  The EKG came out clear.  They took me into the ER and checked me out more.  They said that I had had a mini-stroke on my left side that had effected my left arm and leg.  My speech and brain are unaffected (let the smart ass comments commence) LOL  They said that they did not expect any long term problems.  I was released late Friday afternoon the 8th.  I spent 2 hours short of 7 full days in the hospital.

Any veteran who goes into the DC VA Hospital can expect the best doctors, nurses and medical team care available anywhere!  Out of about 20 meals served to me, I only had 1 meal that I did NOT like.  After eating the beef stew over mashed potatoes one day at lunch, I told my nurse that it was so good that if she could promise that I would have that again the next day, I'd go out in the hall and fall down!  She laughed and said "Please don't, you can not imagine the amount of paperwork she would have."

I ended up in the hospital due to MY stupidity.  I stopped taking my medications and watching my diet....I feel fine I told myself.  I got a very LOUD WAKE UP CALL!!!  Please let this email be YOUR wake up call.....I was lucky....you may NOT wake up!!! 


Ray

[Tiny Tim]

Glad to hear you're alright, Ray.

[FLBentRider]

What TT said.

I'm glad you're OK.

[classicrockgriller]

Dang it Ray, take that meds and stay on that diet! We need you here.

Glad to hear you are feeling better.

[Quarlow]

Hey Ray glad you were fine. But you should watch yourself from now on. My dad never took care of himself and now he is paying for it. 2 years ago he had a major stroke after having had a few mini ones. He now is bound to a wheelchair and stuck in a lonterm care facility for good. He will never walk or use his left arm again. My dad was always busy with something to do with boats and the river which he lived right on the banks of. He had his log salvage boat that he hocked logs out of the river with and sold to the mills plus he had a 36' cabin cruiser for fun and he threw it all away just by not taking care of himself. So don't you be stubborn like him cause man you don't want what he's going through. Of course I don't need to lecture you cause that is why this post is here. It was just some friendly reminder to stick to it.

[Habanero Smoker]

Glad you are alright. Good advice!!

[KevinG]

Good to hear you're ok. That would've scared me into submission.

[manxman]

Great advice rdevous, there is a big television campaign (F.A.S.T) going on in the UK at the moment about this and the advice is based on any one, two or three criteria:

Facial weakness - can the person smile? Has their mouth or eye drooped?

Arm weakness - can the person raise both arms?

Speech problems - can the person speak clearly and understand what you say?

Time to call 999 (911)



Glad you are OK and got to the hospital in good time.

[ArnieM]

I'm glad to hear you're OK Ray.  I'm sure that can scare the hell outa ya.  Take it easy on the beef stew over mashed.   ;D