What is your stroke story?
I had a severe hemorrhagic stroke exactly two weeks before my big fortieth birthday. I was in a medically induced coma for a while. Between my brain swelling and my lungs constantly collapsing with pneumonia, I lost track of how many times I faced complications. I know I had pneumonia twice when I was alert. I almost bled out because they couldn’t stop the bleeding. I went from the hospital to a rehab center and back to the hospital a few times. I had a trach for a while because they kept me intubated too long, which caused my tongue to start splitting. They discussed removing it for months, and I think I eventually got fed up and took it out myself. Let me tell you, those little holes in your neck for the straps heal up pretty quickly, and it hurt like hell when they tried to put them back in. So, back to the hospital I went, where they thankfully determined I didn’t need it anymore. It was a long couple of years away from home, and my mom took guardianship of me because I was heavily medicated. Unfortunately, that kept me farther away from home and my daughters, which made me unhappy. But I’m finally back home for a little over two years now. My big, dumb bullmastiff baby of a dog has been sleeping beside me every night. She’s a little silly at times, but she’s a good girl.
Is there anything you would like to say to healthcare professionals?
Thank you to all my doctors and nurses for the excellent care and doctor pollock for saving my life. I’m told she preformed nothing short of a miracle
Is there anything you would like to say to family, friends, carepartners, or the wider community?
I want to thank the nurses for their excellent care and Dr. Pollock for saving my life. I've been told she performed nothing short of a miracle.