Pat McGee in Hospital (Read 2,555 times)

can only say i hope and will pray for him...

Get well soon Pat.  You are very much needed here. Everyone's prayers are with you.

don't do any social media... still putting in a good word... get well...

My heart is happy with all your wishes and blessings. Thank you my friends.

This is several days of mental notes and pieces of info I've shared with my asawa saving my strength to communicate with her who passes some on to Mark.

A combination of BP, thick blood and a very thin artery, one of two that runs up the neck to brain, this one on my right side, a small blood clot and hypertension caused a cerebral infarction, a brain lesion, causing a stoke. The lesion is located right medulla approximately 5mm in size.  It will now be a scar forever, but function should be ok as surrounding brain tissue should compensate and keep it small.
The super thin artery going up right side of neck to brain makes it normally difficult to allow my thick blood through. It is not fixable with a stint. A small blood clot in that artery blocked blood to the medulla creating lesion thus the stroke. I was told I was super lucky to come in when I did. The immediate absolute bed rest as I arrived probably kept this from being worse.

How am I? Right side face was partially paralyzed, very numb but not dead and not droopy. Tingly feeling slowly returning, seems to be at a stand still now, but expected to improve over time - unknown time. My throat swallowing ability is decreased by about 85‰, an expected symptom post stroke for a few days. Slight improvement over last 2 days but still can't drink water more than a small sip at time without feeling like drowning. Took me off food nutrition IV yesterday and trying to swallow down mushy food one baby teaspoon at a time. I love eating I hope this gets better soon. As of yesterday I can stand to go to CR now. No more peeing in a tube. I feel strong. Mobility tests appear good left to right side of body everywhere except face. No dizziness no staggering when I stand for walk to CR. But other than that short walk it's bed rest, but allowed to sit up.

So what is the fix? Remove lesion? No. Fix thin artery? No. Blood pressure meds? No absolutely not, not in my case that's worst thing in my case. It's still early, but first impressions from all the tests they doing is to keep my blood thin and control hypertension. How?  Final regiment is unknown, it's to early, but for sure 100mg Aspirin daily as blood thinner, Plavix or Plavitor or something like that to aid in blood thinning, and some type of hypertension meds, all daily. Obviously much more to come.

Initial stroke occurred Wed night before bedtime when I felt some small tingling in right side of face. Seemed like it was just being tired and body parts falling asleep.

Went to ER at 51 MED Group Osan AB. They performed EKG,  CT Scan w/out dye and other tests. After 2 hours they transfer me via ambulance to ER Ajou University Hospital, Suwon instructing a full work up for stroke patent.  Ajou University Hospital  is a world class, top notch medical center.  They have done more tests than I would ever imagine. Some I don't even know what they're called. I will when I check out and get copies of the records. They did another CT scan this time with dye and then a brain MRI also with dye. The MRI is where they found the cerebral lesion and thin artery. Since then they have bed-wheeled me to numerous other tests for complete cardiac, blood vessel flow, artery hardening, brain blood vessel, neurological, magnetic something something, and other tests. Hell just the blood vessel checks where like 4 different types of tests. How medicine has changed.

Had another some kind of blood pressure test test yesterday where they clamped my right arm into a contraption, put a BP pad around the same arm, inflated the pad AND LEFT IT INFLATED damn, and then did some kind of ultrasound-like check. Results of that tomorrow.

But other than that test, all other tests so far have not shown anything bad EXCEPT the blood vessel hardening test that shows my age of 61 doesn't match state of artery hardening of 78. Ugh. But reversible with change in diet, exercise and thinner blood.

More when I'm off this damn cell phone.

Hey brother I'm Native American (Apache) and we can be stubborn too. But, ya gotta listen to the doc. I'm also a disabled veteran from working in the "6" I hurt my back. It's hard to stay still and just chill. But we gotta have ya back ok? My prayers are with you, brother! Get feeling better ok? Take care Thomas Mosby Griffiss AFB 1980-84 the fighting 49thFIS!!

Good to hear that you are under skilled and watchful eyes. Quite a scare I'm sure. I hate meds,but I take the low dose aspirin and statins daily. Keeps my BP controlled. You better do the same. Wishing you and your family good days.

always good to hear... progress, a wonderful thing!