Scary times

Life always has a way of catching you by surprise. Regular readers of my blog may remember me having a weird visual disturbance where I could only see the bottom of my field of vision, the top had just disappeared. It was scary as I rely on one eye as my left one is a lazy eye and ineffective. 

I was checked over by Moorfields who didn’t find anything much apart from the cataracts caused by the steroids. 

Then the same thing happened again a couple of weeks ago but it was my left eye this time so I couldn’t really see much anyway. 

My fantastic team at Kings have been carrying out further tests. I continue to be closely and regularly monitored. 

Monday this week was a significant day. Not only was it International Women’s Day, it was also the day I was having some work carried out in London. As I have to continue to shield that meant going to Maidstone for the week. All was going well and the car was being loaded and I was looking for some lost keys. I tried to speak to my partner and no words came out. I completely lost the ability to speak. I tried several times but to no avail. I knew what I wanted to say but just couldn’t get the words out. Then I noticed my arm was going numb and tingly and my legs felt heavy and weak. I knew I needed to be seen. By now my speech had come back. I rang Kings and they said they didn’t have the facilities to deal with this in outpatients and I should go to A&E. 

I went to my local hospital Queen Elisabeth. A&E was a nightmare. There was no social distancing. At one point a member of the nursing team leant across me as I sat talking to the person on the door while I was filing in their form. Once I got into the main waiting area, people was sitting in rows and again not distancing from each other. Many were not wearing masks. Despite it being explained that I was shielding and very vulnerable, I was told there was no where else I could wait. I said what about the corridor and I asked for a chair. I was told I could stand there but not have a chair. It was awful! The person who was the best was the young woman on reception. The medical staff were just defensive and didn’t get it. 

Fortunately I was called through quite quickly. I saw a lovely doctor. She assessed me then went and spoke to her senior. They decided I needed to be moved to The Princess Royal’s stroke unit. They said they would book transport. Next thing, within minutes, an ambulance crew were with me. The brought a trolly. I told them I could walk but they said I needed to be on the trolley. The crew were lovely. They got me in the ambulance and explained they needed to put the lights and sirens on and not to worry. I’ve been through too much to worry and I did think it was a bit over the top. 

When I got there it was like a scene from 24hrs in A&E. There were lots of people around me. I was quickly assessed and then taken for a head CT and chest X-ray. I had a nurse with a backpack with me the whole time and was kept on a monitor. I felt much safer than I did a the QE. Social distancing and good prevention was in evidence. 

The upshot of it all is they diagnosed a TIA which is a mini stroke. I certainly didn’t see that coming. The nice stroke doctor I saw explain that he was able to access my test results and the special vascular scan of my neck had shown some problems. He liaised with the team at Kings and checked I’d be ok with the anti platelet medicine Clopidogrel. They were going to admit me because of my complex medical history. I asked if they’d normally admit for a TIA and he said no. I said I’d rather go home and have the other tests as an outpatient. He went and checked and came back to me and said I could go. Whew! 

Well I really don’t see that coming. It’s astounding what can go wrong in one little body. My family were understandably upset and worried. They feel I’ve had enough to deal with and how much more do I have to put up with? I don’t see it like that. I think it’s all a continuation of the same thing. It’s not something new as such just an extension of all the rest of it. I’m not worried or upset. I just take it on the chin as always and thank God that I’m blessed with a 6 pack spirit. 

Since Monday I’ve continued to have a numb and tingling arm. I keep dropping things as I don’t feel them in my hand. It hasn’t stopped me sorting out sone bits and pieces. 

The weather in Kent was beautiful on Tuesday. I still continue to see the beauty around me and I also remind myself that above the clouds that are around today, the sun is still shining. 

I hope that wherever you are in the world you also see the love that surrounds you and also feel the hope of the coming spring.