TIA 2

After the usual ER bullshit temp, blood pressure etc. they gave me an aspirin and I was interviewed by the stroke doctor. 

By then, my little cubicle started to fill up. I don't really remember their order of appearance, but my son Dave was there my  godson Mike and my neighbor Andy May. By then I felt normal. It had been about an hour to an hour and a half since the event and the ER was taking on a Fort Lauderdale spring break party atmosphere. Without the booze and drugs of course. 

The doctor, a middle-aged Chinese lady, was not amused. I think that she wanted the place to be a bit more somber but having just laughed into the face of death, I figured that if I was still alive, all was well. Every time Dr. Chin asked me a question Andy, being Andy, would answer in my behalf. She asked me who this guy was and why he was here. Right after I told her  that I didn't know who he was, that I saw him rummaging through a dumpster out back and thought that he could use a meal, she blew it.

I remember her saying that I shouldn't fuck with her as she was trying to save my life and Andy stood down.

I spent the next two days in the VA hospital with two other vets in my room. One had cancer and the other was going to get a heart transplant. I then felt pretty good about my state of health.

While in the Kronkhaus I had a CT scan a MRI and an ultrasound of my heart plus a few other pokes and jabs. Every ten minutes some sweet person would come in ask me if they could do anything for me. My stock reply was to growl back "Yah get me the hell out of here". 

After two days, they had enough of me and I went over the wall. I've been a pretty good boy since I got sprung outta there. I've been watching my intake of Big Carl's and Bonus Jack's.  I haven't had a deepfried hog snout since the event and my BP and cholesterol are way down. 

I still feel a disconnect like my head is in a cardboard box with a hole cut into it and people are looking at me through the hole and I'm looking out. 

All in all, I'm feeling pretty good and at least I'm not in Cleveland.

TIA

In July, I had a TIA. A, so called, mini-stroke. 

I was sitting at my desk in the afternoon when I just felt that something wasn't right. Nothing more. 

I thought that I would get up and "walk it off". I tried to stand up using my right arm to push off the arm of my desk chair. My right arm wouldn't move. I then tried to stand up without using my arm and realized that my right leg was also paralyzed. It was, right then and there, that I knew that I was having a stroke.

I wasn't really in fear of dying, but I knew that this was pretty serious and needed some immediate attention. I then tried to tell Jamie, who was sitting at the next desk, that I thought that I was having a stroke. As I tried, I knew that the right side of my face was also paralyzed. 

At that point, things get a bit scrambled. An ambulance was to be called. I garbled that I wasn't getting getting into no fucking ambulance. It took three people to get me into my truck.

As we drove to the VA hospital, I got somewhat better. I could articulate and move my arm again. But not for long. It got worse again, for a bit. 

And then, it got better again. I actually walked into the Emergency Room entrance. As I was waiting to be seen, I had to whiz so I went into the Men's head. After completing my task, my right leg started to give out again but I made it to the door to call out for help. I was deposited into a wheelchair and the ER event began.

To be continued.

I've been busy.

I've been a busy guy this last year. 
I built a two machine Quartz Oven and Allen Bradley control package for Winnebago in Forest City Iowa.

We then flew to Iowa for the installation in April and stayed until June. 

While in Forest City, Amy my younger son Dave's wife presented me with a Granddaughter Sydney Marie who is as cute as her big brother Alex.
I no sooner got back in June and then had a TIA mini-stroke in July. So I decided to retire and sell the business. 
In August, we drove up to NoCal and visited with my eldest son Ed and his wife Cassy in Concord and spent a day watching the America's Cup Races in San Fran. 
I am now semi-retired but I'm trying to clean up loose ends for the new owner.  
The plan now is to head for Ohio after Thanksgiving to be at my sister's around Christmas and also see my cousins and Aunt  then visit friends in Ohio and Georgia. After that another Aunt and more 
cousins and friends in Florida. 
On the return trip, I intend to eat my way back through the South and New Orleans. 
When we return, I'll probably go back to work for some rest. Not.