Stroke is the top leading cause of disabilities

Stroke is the third leading cause of death

Stroke costs US thirteen BILLION dollars a year

And
you can have a stroke
and not even know it.

STROKE, IS DEAD SERIOUS!

My stroke happened on a midnight clear

The only reason I'm still alive today is because I listened to my wife at the crucial moment she was insisting we call an ambulance. Which brings up lesson #1: Your emergency ambulance is not authorized to deliver you anywhere except to the NEAREST hospital. Arguing about it is wasting your time and strength. The only exception is when the nearest hospital is full or staff there admits it cannot treat your condition. With that rejection ringing down the ambulance then heads for the next nearest hospital. Because so many strokes seem to happen at night, and night staffs -- in particular at problem hospitals -- can produce experiences bordering on pure nightmares!

This factor is made even more serious if previous mix-ups with the hospital nearest to you may have left you embittered against it Maybe you've heard too many people saying: “I wouldn't send a dog there to be treated, much less a cat.” and if such is your case you will want documents and insurance already in place that can change your destination to some other hospital, or at least help get you removed from the clutches of the nearest one as promptly as possible. If you are serious enough about this prejudice you'll want insurance that covers private ambulance service to your choicest hospital.

Most people avoid visiting hospitals. They live in this fantasy world where ANY hospital is as good as any other, where ANY doctor is as good as any other doctor. They tune out the horror stories, or even blame the patient for not understanding some procedure that they don't understand either. Long before a stroke happens we need to realize that strokes are BRAIN damage and strokes will require highly skilled hands and keenly trained minds to keep us alive -- and double doses of skill and training if it will require an operation to keep us from suffering permanent damage.

My own stroke struck without any of the prelude music or fanfare most television hospital shows provide. What woke me up, I know not. I did wake up. I did (somehow) stand up on my own two feet. Then my left leg crumpled from under me and I struck the wall a resounding blow with the whole side of my body. Dazed and uncertain I tried to push myself away from the wall with my left leg.

Nothing moved down there. Well, okay I thought, I'll just reach behind me and pull myself away from the wall by grabbing the bed with my left hand. The first rumblings of shock came when I realized my hand could not feel the bed. Almost immediately a second shock came rumbling in its track: I had no idea in the world where my left arm was or if I even had one to find.

I'd like to say I cried for help at this point.

Actually, I screamed for help!