Ian Cundy
I hope this doesn't bore too many of you! I woke up at 4 am on 14 October 2004 and went to the loo and didn't feel unwell, went back to bed thinking I had an hour left to sleep before I had to get up for work. Alarm went at five and I got up to find myself feeling as though I had drunk a bottle of vodka. I promptly walked sideways into the bedroom door. I remember thinking I don't remember getting drunk last night.
I stumbled downstairs thinking a cup of tea would make me feel better. However I couldn't lift the kettle. Starting to feel very frightened as I had pins and needles down my entire right side, I shouted for my partner, Steve. When he came down I suddenly craved fresh air. Opened the back door and was promptly sick everywhere. All I can remember then was thinking I couldn't be ill; I've got to get to work and get the lads off. I was running a very busy removals and deliveries company at the time, and the thought of 18 men waiting for me to give them their jobs for the day, and then running late for all of our customers just didn't bear thinking about.
Because I couldn't get my balance I thought I must have an ear infection. Feeling very tired I lay down on the sofa. I thought we should wait for the doctor's surgery to open and call them before going down there. Steve called at 8:30 when the surgery opened. As soon as he explained my symptoms they advised us to go straight to hospital. Called a taxi to take us to Watford General A&E, which seemed to take an eternity. I was seen very quickly, and was then subjected to all the 'touch my fingers nose etc' tests, followed by a nurse and then a doctor trying to insert a canula into a vein. My veins had collapsed for some reason and it seemed like they were digging around for ages, leaving bruises at each failed attempt! They finally managed to take a pathetic amount of blood only to come back a little later saying it wasn't enough. I had a CT scan within 3 hours and was then put in the Rapid assessment unit of A&E.
A friend brought my 16-year-old daughter up and I just seem to remember feeling ashamed for some reason that she had to see me in that state, with a lopsided face. They move me to the acute stroke unit, though the CT was inconclusive. There were six beds on the ward, all filled with people of 70 plus. I didn't get much sleep the first few nights as the crash team would come in at all hours, to try and revive some of those poor people. I saw a neurologist and a stroke specialist the next day and they booked me for a MRI at another hospital a few days later. I had my carotids and my heart checked both of which were clear. The MRI showed that I had suffered an infarct in my left cerebellum, and they still can't say why.
I know now that I had had a TIA two weeks prior to the stroke, which manifested itself as pins and needles in my right arm, and difficulty picking up a bottle of milk.
I still have no feeling in my right side, except for feeling cold, and hypersensitivity if someone/thing touches me. I get strange feeling of my organs wobbling around and a pumping sensation in my muscles. Am very sensitive to noise and can't handle speaking to too many people at any one time. I am still battling to give up smoking, with a huge amount of support from Steve, my daughter Robyn and my GP. At the point I would like to say how thankful I am to all the staff at Watford General, my physio Sarah who has had to put up with my tantrums and of course Steve and Robyn.
Currently I am not working. I tried to go back doing a few hours a day, a couple of times a week, I know now too early, but work have decided to wave goodbye to me though have said I will have a job when I get better. Have battled filling out benefit forms, which have been a nightmare, and of course I resent the intrusion into the most private parts of my life!
I was hospitalised 8 weeks after coming out of hospital when I had a panic attack, thinking I was having another stroke. No one had told me that it is a common phenomenon in stroke and heart attack survivors. But I honestly believed that I was going to die that time. My GP has been fantastic and at the time of writing this I am waiting for the neuropsychologist to return from holiday. I am being treated for depression as well as all of the other symptoms of my stroke. Having gone from working 70 hours a week, loving my job and of course earning good money, I am finding it very difficult to come to terms with the fatigue, huge short term memory problems aphasia fatigue etc.
I discovered different Strokes by accident, and hope to do some work for the group when I have more strength, though I think that will be some time off yet. I am a very impatient person so hope it will not be too long. Here's hoping.
Ian
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