Читать книгу Life After Stroke - Jeff Kagan - Страница 4

It was mid-July, 2004, and the beginning of another beautiful and sunny summer day. We were packing the van for a week at the beach. My wife, Deborah, and I had a very typical family: three teenage kids, a dog and a guinea pig.

Life over the last fifteen to twenty years had been phenomenal. We started out struggling — like most everyone else — but in our early 30’s we finally found ourselves on the right track, and my business started a long period of healthy growth.

The kids were happy, and growing, and in high school. We went to all the choir and band performances. Mom and Dad, and Grandma and Grandpa, were always there cheering. The kids were so happy. They made us proud. They had good friends, and we felt like everything was perfect in our lives. We had been blessed. We knew it, and we were thankful every day.

I am an analyst; a technology, wireless, telecom and healthcare analyst. I am also a columnist, speaker and consultant. Okay, I wear many hats. Maybe its because I get bored easily. Or maybe it is because I started doing many things years ago to earn a living, then realized I just liked the lifestyle. I was busy and successful and happy at work.

My business kept growing. My name became well-known in the industry. A quick search of “Jeff Kagan” and “Jeffrey Kagan” on Google resulted in thousands of news stories I have been quoted in over the last 25 years.

We couldn’t believe the good fortune we were experiencing. We were flown from coast-to-coast, from Maui to California to Las Vegas to Palm Beach — and countless other places in between — to give speeches for big companies, and at conferences. I spoke about the changing industry, and had lots of fun doing so.

We met a lot of interesting people including celebrities, politicians and CEO’s, and visited many interesting places. Deborah and I had lunch at Donald Trump’s place, called Mar-A-Lago, in Palm Beach, Florida, and took a private tour of his home. It was incredible, of course. What, you had doubts? Things were magical.

It Happened Between Two Speeches

It was June, and I had just returned from a keynote speech at a conference in Las Vegas. My next appearance was coming up in Seattle in about two weeks. I was to moderate a panel discussion between the CEO of AT&T Wireless and a company they were acquiring. The meeting was to be filled with the media, investors, customers and employees in the audience.

I had to make my first-ever cancellation call to let them know that I would not be able to be there. Actually, it was an email, because I could not have a conversation yet.

It was a beautiful summer morning and we were packing up the van. The week at the beach was just what we needed. We lived four-and-a-half hours from Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. It was just north of Savannah, Georgia and was the perfect example of heaven on earth. We found this place 25 years ago and had been coming ever since.

Over the years, we had tried countless accommodations there, but eventually fell in love with the Crown Plaza Hotel on the beach. The hotel was special, and still is, but we fell in love with it because, as we became regulars, they always remembered us, and treated us like royalty. No, more like special friends. It was a warm and magical stay every time.

On this particular trip the kids each brought a friend. We had said our goodbyes to their parents, and we were off to the beach for another beautiful summer vacation.

It was a perfect day for a drive to the beach, or so I thought.

Strange, but I became suddenly tired. But it was morning. Oh well, nothing a cup of coffee couldn’t fix. Along the way we always stopped in Macon, Georgia, at the Barnes and Noble, so I could get a cup of Starbucks for the drive. We had often made this stop over the years, so there was nothing strange yet.

Then things started to get a little confusing. I remember pulling up to Starbucks and ordering a bacon, double cheeseburger with everything on top. The kids laughed. However, I didn’t understand what was so funny. After all I just ordered my coffee, right?

In writing this book, I talked with them about it and they tell me it was after Starbucks that we went to Burger King. They said I ordered a super burger with bacon and cheese. Who knows, but that’s when it started happening. First of all, the restaurant didn’t carry that kind of burger, and secondly, I don’t eat cheeseburgers. The kids said that they laughed, and somehow we made it out of there with everything.

It was all a little hazy to me, but nobody told my wife. They thought I was joking around. I had a tendency to do that kind of thing all the time. Yes, I’m that goofy dad.

The words coming out of my mouth didn’t always relate to the words in my mind. That was the problem with my stroke, but I didn’t know it yet. I would want to say one thing, but strange words would keep coming out. The problem was I wasn’t aware of this disconnect. This actually kept happening for a long time, but this was the first time. And I had no clue.

You know how when you open your mouth to say something, it is connected to your brain, and you are aware of the meaning of the words? Well, suddenly, I was not aware of the meaning of the words. I would think, pass the ketchup, but I would say, pass the camp.

We eventually got back on the highway, but took the long way. The entrance ramp was right there to the left, but I turned to the right. Why? Who knows why? I missed the entry ramp and had to drive to find another. My wife asked what I was doing, and all I said was I wanted to see what was up ahead.

We eventually hopped on the highway, but then I started getting really tired. I said something to my wife that I never said before. I asked if she would drive because I wanted to take a nap. She has driven countless times since, but that was the first. Another little clue, but no one knew anything yet.

I pulled over onto the side of the highway and got out to switch seats with her. The problem was I didn’t put the car in park. Ooops! It rolled, and my son screamed to stop the car. I guess my wife did.

Things were foggy. I climbed into the passenger seat and took a sip of my coffee. I don’t remember what all the talk was about. Probably of the drifting car, I guess. Whatever that meant. I didn’t know. I was feeling awfully tired, though. I was really detached from life at that point, but no one could tell. So I laid my head back, closed my eyes and fell asleep.

I know the above paragraph seems a little awkward, but it describes the disjointed way I felt and thought and saw the world. Pretty strange, to say the least.

I Was Having a Stroke

But no one knew. They thought I was just tired. There was no pain. No loss of muscle coordination or strength. No loss of speech. Maybe trouble thinking, but nothing that screamed, “Stroke!” Just tired.

The American Stroke Association Warning Signs of a Stroke

  Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg, especially on one side of the body.

  Sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding.

  Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes.

  Sudden trouble walking, dizziness or loss of balance or coordination.

  Sudden or severe headache with no known cause.

Over the next three hours, I slept. That may not sound strange, but it was. I never sleep in the car. I am always driving. Thanks to GPS, my wife, who had never driven to Hilton Head before, arrived on the island safe and sound several hours later.

She tried to wake me to ask how to get to the hotel. She said I awoke and mumbled something, then fell back asleep. She thought there may be something wrong, but there were no signs other than me being tired.

She found her way to the hotel, and we walked to the front desk and checked in. It was late Sunday afternoon, and the manager came out to greet us. My wife says that I seemed normal at the time. Nothing that stood out and said, “Hey, this guy is having a stroke, get to the hospital quick!” I laughed and chatted with the manager and workers and we went to the room.

That is an example of how one part of the brain is still normal, while another part is damaged. When you use the part that is still okay, there is no problem.

Afterwards, I learned that it is very important to get to the hospital immediately when you think it may be a stroke. The reason is the clot stops the blood flow to a spot in the brain, and that part of the brain begins to die.

After about 3 to 5 hours it’s too late. Before that, they can give you a shot of something to break up the clot. You will still have some brain damage, but it will be more limited. After that, there is nothing they can do. The damage is done. Then a long-term recovery is all that is left.

NOTE: GET TO THE HOSPITAL RIGHT AWAY

If you are having a stroke they can often help if you arrive within the first few hours. The earlier the better and the more brain can be saved. Better safe then sorry. If you are not having a stroke, then checking is no big deal. Assume it is a stroke and protect yourself. And don’t count on the person having the stroke to know. I didn’t. Time matters. Don’t wait. Take control. Insist.

We had a beautiful ocean-front suite with connecting bedrooms for the kids. We were all together on the beach and the weather was perfect. It should have been a beautiful week. I was tired again, and fell asleep on the bed. I had already been sleeping in the car, and now at the hotel. Strange. But still no sign of a stroke to the outside world.

The kids were hungry for dinner and my wife woke me to take them for pizza. We drove to a pizza shop on Pope Avenue. I had some trouble ordering, so my wife ordered for us. Everything seemed fine, sort of. There were still no signs. Before we left, I had to go to the bathroom, so she took the kids to the car and waited. I thought it was all very quick, but when I got back to the car she said she almost sent one of the boys in to see if I was okay because I was in there a long time.

Like I said, I thought it was quick. I have no idea what to tell you about that. It is just interesting. But there were many more interesting things to come.

When we got back to the room, gee wiz, I was tired again. Grueling day, right? Nope, I slept all day! So what did I do? Yup. Fell asleep, again.