I had a stroke!
This is not a joke.
On February 17th, I was getting ready to run some errands before I picked up my daughter at school. As I walked up my stairs to take a shower, my foot hit the step. Twice.
That’s weird. I thought.
My arm and leg felt heavy but were still fully functional. I looked at myself in the mirror and made myself smile. It was even. I took a shower and got dressed and called my daughter in NYC.
“Don’t panic but I might be having a stroke,” I said.
“Call your doctor or the nurse line,” she said.
I couldn’t find the nurse line.
“I’m too busy to have a stroke” I said, or thought.
I then proceeded to do my errands.
I went to the ATM.
I went to get gas.
I went to the post office to mail the signed VIP copies of my new book.
I went to Staples to get a USB for the presentation I was giving the next week in North Carolina.
I stopped at the plant store to get a new large pot and potting soil for the banana plants that had just arrived at home.
I decided to stop at home to unload everything before I went to pick up Lucia. On the way there I asked the Universe for a sign of what I should do. I turned off the radio and accidentally hit the phone book in my car and my doctor was the first number. Nah, I thought to myself. That’s just a coincidence. I don’t want to bother her.
When I turned the corner right by my house there was an amubulance in front of me going very slowly. That’s weird, I thought.
I dropped off my stuff and drove the 30 minutes to Lucia’s school. By the time I got there I was feeling weirder. Fortunately she had her drivers permit so I asked her to drive. When we got to her Dad’s house to pick something up, I tripped again. A few times. That’s when I finally called my doctor.
“Go to the closest emergency room right now,” she said calmly.
Lucia drove and dropped me off at the entrance. By the time I got to the desk I could hardly stand.
To be continued…
I was reflexively about to hit the “like” button, but nothing to “like” here! Glad you’re able to form sentences and type! (Subthought: Holy shit, Lucia is driving????!!!!!) Here’s hoping your recovery is swift and thorough, and that we all learn some lessons from this. It’s the least your body could do for us, after playing such a nasty trick.
We women are so stubborn!! You are the second woman I’ve heard a similar story from! In her case she had a headache but went to work anyway. As the day progressed her headache got worse and worse. Lucky for her she worked with my son! He could tell something wasn’t right and insisted on taking her to the nearest emergency room. He told her he was going to pick her up and carry her to the car if she refused. When they got to the ER and they saw her, they packed her up onto a med evac helicopter and transported her to Barrow Neurological Hospital where she was rolled straight into surgery for an Aneurysm!!!
I don’t know what it is about us women that makes us so stubborn and feeling like we’d look stupid if it turns out to be nothing serious but we sure are! And I say wee because I do it too!!
I’m so glad you got help before it was more critical and hope you have a swift recovery. I also hope other women will read this and not ignore symptoms. You might have saved a few lives by telling your story.