Mark B.
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
By: Mark B.

Survivor

I had my stroke on April 5, 2010. It was caused by a muscle tear in my shoulder, which led to a clot that traveled up and got stuck in my brain stem. It was Monday morning and I was at work. We were packing a box up with tools and I could hear everyone talking, but all of the sudden I heard a pop in my ears and I didn't feel right. I walked over and grabbed two chairs to steady myself. I started shaking, and a co-worker asked if I was okay. I said no, and the shaking got worse and I fell to the ground. My co-workers ran to my side, and I heard one of the guys run to call 911.

The ambulance got there, and I could hear them all but could not speak. They loaded me in the ambulance and I could hear them talking about where to go, and after that I blacked out. I woke up the next day with tubes down my throat, and I couldn't talk or move the left side of my body. I knew it was a stroke before anyone told me.

That day my friend Tom made me an alphabet board, so I could point out what I wanted to say. After three days they moved me up to an observation room. I spent about a day there until I moved to the rehab room. I started with my therapist that Monday. They were all great, and I still talk to all of them now. I had speech, PT, OT, and RT. They were so nice that they let me come down when it wasn't my time, and we would work on stretching and standing. I tried to take advantage of this while I could. I spent two months in the hospital, and by the end of it I could walk using the help of a walker.

After I got home, it was still summer, so I would walk to the pool everyday and do what I could there. It has been eight months, and I can walk without any help, I can almost run, and my life has almost returned to normal, other than medical bills. Even when I was in the hospital, I would get day passes and go to movies or dinner in my wheelchair. I never felt sorry for myself.