Journal

Bob is back in the hospital.  He had what looked like another stroke on Friday afternoon.  Thank GOD I was home sick with the flu.  He had a very, very sore back recently and was having a really hard time dealing with the pain.  He has recovered very well from his stroke, but there are some residuals that are causing him to have a terrible time sleeping.  His chronic back pain hasn't helped, so we thought the back was from his odd sleeping habits recently.

He started complaining of hot flashes and nausea and suddenly pitched back, straight as a board, his eyes rolled back, his face went ashen and he shuddered.  He was unconsious for 30 seconds or so, but was unable to talk when he started to come round.  I was able to get him on the floor, and called for the ambulance.  His BP was 90/70 and he was perspiring profusely with continued nausea.  Surprizingly, the back pain had stopped.

Once we got to the ER, he started to become hypothermic, with massive shaking and blue nails with a body temp of 35.6. 

He did not have any other stroke like symptoms after about 2 or 3 hours, as his vitals started to come back with the meds they gave him and his speech returned to its post stroke normal.

They put him into ICU for the night and next day.  Our GP was thankfully the one on call in the ER so he had dealt with the whole episode.  We live in a really small northern community so we were lucky to have our own doctor right there.  He got in touch with the Neurologist in Vancouver that had dealt with Bob's case in June and it was decided that Bob had had a massive back muscle spasm.  The lack of blood supply to the brain during it, mirrored/reimpacted the stroke damage, so it looked like another stroke.

The really strange thing is that his phosphorus level was really low, just like it was during the stroke in June.  Also, they have found possible mild kidney failure.

I have to say, it has been a terrible weekend.  I know it could have been so much worse, but honestly, I am exhausted.

He is doing very well in hospital, with them doing a 24 hour urine collection and xrays and blood tests to monitor his situation.  It scared us both. 

Anybody know anything about low phosphorus levels post stroke?  Or maybe the implications of pons brain stem stroke on muscle spasms?   How about problems falling asleep?  He has a lot of fatigue and when he tries to rest, as he is going to sleep, his body becomes agitated and he cannot relax.  This has been the case since the stroke.  I am worried about his not getting restorative sleep.  I am just plain worried.

My husband Bob had a pons/brain stem stroke 19 days ago.  We have been home 4 days now and settling into our 'life'...  He has recovered amazingly from not being able to move or talk.  Every day another piece returns.  His mobility is impaired but oh so slightly. 

We were in 3 hospitals in the first 8 days.  Living so far north has its problems, but we have been blessed from the beginning. 

This event has been a collection of terror, relief and freedom. 

Not things one would expect, but the terror was the first hour.  I lost my late husband to a completely unexpected fatal stroke on Christmas Eve 1999. 

Relief has come from the amazing recovery of Bob from such a potentially devastating stroke.

Freedom from letting go of EVERYTHING to stay in the hospitals with Bob.

We are doing very well, and looking at all that IS working, not the things that aren't working.

Everything from now on is a gift.

Sure would like to talk to other folks who have gone through this.