Group: Pictures for Pam

I copied this from Pam's blog for everyone's convenience:
www.ipernity.com/blog/pamj

Thankyou all. returning from a stroke
By Pam J
November 9, 2018

This thank you has been a long time coming, but it comes straight from my heart.

As most of you know I had a huge Brain Bleed/Stroke on Friday the 7th of September this year.

On that evening my world changed beyond description. I was one of the lucky ones as Jay, my husband, came into my work room and knew the signs of a stroke. (I will come back to this later.) He called 911 and an ambulance came fast. It's a ride I do not remember! But it would be another 5 weeks before I came home again.

It took me to our regional hospital who ran a fast CAT scan and said that I had a huge brain bleed, but they could not properly help me and I needed to be taken to the OU (Oklahoma University) Medical Centre in OKC as they had STROKE specialty help. More sirens and lights ride and the Centre started work on me fast. CAT scan and up to the operating rooms. This meant scalp incisions (lost all my long red hair! IT Ws SHAVED OFF) that beat any Halloween make-up! I also had a hole drilled in my skull to release the pressure of the bleeding caused be an AVM.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arteriovenous_malformation Jay was with me all he could be. I was unconscious and very unresponsive. He had to witness me put on a ventilator and given transfusions and being cut up.

I was taken to ICU and was there two weeks. I finally regained consciousness. The Brain Surgeon was confident that I would make a full recovery after many tests because of Jay's rapid action.

I was finally taken off the ventilator and the other tubes were removed in the following days, including a feeding tube and I was transferred to a "step down" room for the next week.

It was decided I was to be then transferred to a Rehab facility. I was there for two weeks and was given intensive PT and weened off puréed food and thickened liquids after being given many swallow tests.

I was finally allowed to come home on the 11th of October.

All this time Jay was not only driving to OKC daily but coping with our three dogs and many cats and the intense stress of the situation that was unfolding daily.

I have a box full of cards here and am humbled beyond words. I never realised just how many lives I had touched over the years.

Thank you ALL! A special thanks to Peggy C. and my close pals Marty and Chris - they acted as relays for information and helped Jay so very much.

My Dogs and Cats are my medicine now.

However, the Brain Surgeon has a treatment plan for me. It is going to be targeted radiation to slowly destroy the AVM. This treatment will start early next year. It should mean that the stroke will not happen again. This has been a life changing happening for me and Jay.
Time is needed to heal.

I now need to THANK ALL who sent cards and prayers and love and care. You ALL lifted me up and were a huge part of a support system. Those who spoke to me over the phone in my room know exactly how fightened and scared I was. Thank you ALL

for holding me in your hearts.

I was so very lucky and I still have some healing to do. I have some sight and focus problems (not good for a photographer

tactustherapy.com/what-is-left-neglect

but I will, given time and patience, HEAL and RECOVER. I know you will all understand that as much as I want to come back, I just cannot do it instantly. I use a walker frame for now to steady me as well.

PLEASE PASS THIS ON TO AT LEAST ONE PERSON A WEEK. YOU CAN SAVE LIVES AND DAMAGED QUALITY OF LIFE WITH THIS. Use FAST to remember the warning signs of a stroke. The letter F stands for face FACE: Ask the person to smile. Does one side of the face droop?
A stands for arms ARMS: Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward?
S stands for speech SPEECH: Ask the person to repeat a simple phrase. Is their speech slurred or strange?
T stands for time TIME: If you observe any of these signs, call 9-1-1 immediately. Call 9-1-1 immediately if you observe any of these symptoms. Note the time of the first symptom. This information is important and can affect treatment decisions. Recognizing Stroke Act FAST www.stroke.org/understand-stroke/recognizing-stroke/act-fast