We arrived in Santorini and felt like it was paradise. A much needed break in the face of a year of relentless stress including husband's heart op, caring for my lovely mum who has dementia, sister in law very ill with cancer and worst of all my husband's brother violently murdered in his own home. You get the picture - we sorely needed this down time.
So, on the first night we enjoyed a beautiful meal on the edge of the sea, and joined in with some Greek dancing - perfect evening and we began to slowly unwind.
We got up early the next day (26/5/16) to go on a boat trip - so down to grab an early breakfast. About to leave the room I suddenly felt really sick - mouth watering - so I ducked into the toilet and tried to retch but it passed. Odd. I didn't mention it to Trev (my husband) and cracked on, breakfast and boat trip beckoned! So we left the room, Trev several steps behind me. I made it down two marble staircases and the walk the length of the swimming pool when I collapsed to the ground, fell down 3 steps spraining my right ankle and grazing my neck and ear quite badly.
A sea of helping hands got me up and into a chair. Trev thought I'd died - he said my eyes were totally glazed and nobody home.
Whilst I felt disconnected I was strangely calm and acutely aware of everything going on and what people were saying. I could hear an emergency Dr had been called. I could hear Trev's anxiety. A lady who was assisting waved her hands in front of my eyes - even staring into my eyes and I just thought 'I wish she'd go away'. It was a very odd feeling. Then I thought I should tell Trev I'm ok - I could hear how worried he was. So I went to whisper to him. To say 'I'm alright' and to my horror what came out of my mouth was complete gobbledegook. So I had expressive aphasia. I knew enough about it to realise I must have at best had a TIA and at worst a stroke. Then I did feel fear.
My speech was still flawed but had returned when the Dr showed up. He checked me over. I choked on the water I was passed initially (another indicator of stroke) but then swallowed ok. He decided I had concussion from when I hit my head. I lifted my arms, I stood without problem.
I told him about the aphasia but he stayed with his concussion diagnosis as I had no other external symptoms of stroke.
The next 40 hours we were in shock. I daren't speak as I was getting words wrong. We stumbled around trying to believe the concussion diagnosis and to continue with the holiday!
Then I told Trev I knew I had to get home to get proper help. We both knew 'something' had occurred.
He moved heaven and earth to get us a flight. Trev had left his car in Birmingham and we'd flown from there. The only flights we could get back were to Newcastle the night of 28/5/16, so I googled how much aspirin I should take, swallowed it and hoped for the best. It was surreal and very frightening. We got to Loughborough in a taxi chucked the cases through the door at home, got into my car and went directly to A&E.
To be met by total disbelief firstly from the intake nurse 'so why do you think you've had a stroke, you look fine to me'. And then a few hours later the same conversation with the doctor!
He almost sent me home untreated - but we stuck to our guns and insisted that the expressive aphasia was not normal. And whilst it had improved massively I still 'wasn't myself'.
So he reluctantly sent me for a CT scan.
By this time Trev and I were beginning to wonder if we had wasted everyone's time and I was mentally ready to be sent home.
The Dr rushed in looking visibly shocked. His words were 'I have bad news, you've suffered a major stroke. Left side infarct. A Mid Cerebral Vascular Accident (cva)' So I was packed off to the stroke unit for a couple of days. In total shock.
I'm 60, a non-drinker, non-smoker. Take no tablets and have no diagnosed ailments. Exercise a lot. Low blood pressure and pulse. How could this have happened to me? I didn't understand.
Because I suffer bad migraines and had no indicators for stroke, I was sent for a bubble echo and found to have a PFO (Patent Foramen Ovale) - a hole in the heart which is present in 25% of the population and can allow blood to travel from heart to brain bypassing filtration of the lungs. It's a funny thing, but I felt relieved with the diagnosis - yes it was a problem but it provided me with a reason - an explanation!
I'm seeing my stroke consultant this week and he's arranged for me to see a cardiologist to discuss whether to close the hole. Interestingly I've had 3 unexplained funny turns which in hindsight I think could have been TIAs. The first when I was 31.
I'm a really positive person and refuse to be defined by it. Since the stroke I've worked on brain training apps on my phone and Trev asks me questions using the game Articulate to help my word retrieval and cognitive processing. I've ramped up my fitness incorporating aqua aerobics in addition to the gym and long dog walks. I am going to start using wii fit to help my balance to try to feel more centred/stable when I've worked out how to use it!
So that is my story. Ironically I have 2 photos here that were taken on 25th May 2016 evening, the night before the stroke. The one at the pool shows me relaxing on a sun bed overlooking where I walked then fell as you reach the right of the photo the following day. The other one shows me happy and relaxed. What a difference a few hours can make!
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