I'm alive so I survived

The past 2 weeks have been so much - a blur, a dream, a nightmare - all rolled into one.

At 2.00 am Friday the 8th of May, I had a stroke. I know the exact time cause I woke up at the onset of it. Had pins & needles in my right arm and couldn't lift it up and then my leg lost all feeling.

I have the most miniscule of all facial droop that most people can't even notice it (thank goodness).

So I was bundled up and off the the hospital by ambulance. Had numerous tests - CT brain scan, echocardiogram, ultrasound of arteries in leg and neck, xrays, MRI - you name it I had it.

The MRI conclusively showed I had a Lacuna Infarction (LACI stroke) so now hubby says he has proof I'm brain dead. hahaha - NOT!

The specialists all told me to have a stroke, this was the good one to have as they were confident I would recover well, if not fully. I would have at least 6 wks in hospital and rehab if I did well.

I'm more than happy to say that prayers were answered and I only spent the last two weeks in hosp/rehab. 1 week under specialist care and 1 week in rehabilitation. All drs and therapists are so surprised that my improvement has been so fast as they were sure last Friday I would need at least 3-4 wks of rehab.

So now I'm at home as of Wednesday, 20 May and am an outpatient so I can continue therapy (physio, occupational, mental) but sleep at home. That's the main thing for me. I am so happy to be home.

I had my dr check-up today (Thursday) and she is very happy with my progress.

I have full movement of my right arm back if not full sensation and feeling. My right leg is taking longer but I'm now walking without a crutch and only need a walking stick if walking over 300metres. Funny thing is my toes on my right foot don't touch the ground anymore when I stand on it Hopefully that will be restored soon. I need all the balance help I can get

Other sensations inside are slowly getting better as well but I could have a weakness on my right side for the rest of my life. The slight facial droop is permanent and apparently I speak slower but that's only noticable to my family. The good thing is my handwriting is alot neater cause I have to concentrate so hard

The down side is I sometimes forget how to walk properly. I have to consciously keep repeating "bend knee, heel down, roll onto toes, squeeze muscles". Forget the litany, forget the walk

I look forward to getting back into action online over the next few weeks.

Phew! This has taken me ages to type (having to correct so many spelling errors) and now I'm exhausted.

Melbourne - Part 4 - Saturday

When we woke up, we all decided to go for a walk around St Kilda.

We were hoping the markets were on but they weren't.
Everywhere we walked there were cafes or restaurants open but hardly any of the shops.
They didn't open til later.
We walked all the way down to the water front and along the esplanade.

The Palais TheatreLuna ParkI wasn't able to get a clear picture but as we got to Luna Park, a stretch limousine pulled up.
The driver got out and got a red carpet out of the boot.
We started to get a bit excited thinking we were going to see someone famous.
He rolls the carpet out from the rear passenger door, opens the door, we hold our cameras up and ........
Out pops about 10 8yr olds
hahahahahahahaha
It was really cool. They all "struck a pose" as they got out of the limo.

We walked around the shops for a bit and then it was nearly time for our meeting.
We tossed up walking or catching a taxi back.
The taxi won out and glad we caught it cause we would never of made the distance in time :D

The meeting started at 1.00 pm and it was so great to finally meet BrAshA-T members.

Setting up the conference room.

The meeting didn't finish until about 5.00pm.
We went out to dinner with some of the members to the Stoke House.
Again the food was absolutely delicious and the company was brilliant.
I did take some photos of the evening but the restaurant only lit candles for the "saving energy" night or something :D My photos didn't turn out too well.

Melbourne

I will make more posts but will have to do it a bit later.

I'm running out of time today :D

#3 Painting

Here is the latest update of my 3rd painting.
I haven't been to art in about 6 weeks so it felt like re-learning some things :D
as at Friday 1 May 2009

I worked mainly on the trees and leaves.

Melbourne adventure starts again tomorrow.

Melbourne - Part 3

We've arrived and settled (finally) into our room and head into Melbourne CBD to meet people for dinner.

The trams in Melbourne make travel so easy and so cheap.

We did a little sightseeing while waited.

As day turned to dusk, the beauty of the city came alive.

We ate dinner at Bistro Vite. A restaurant at Southgate Melbourne.
Right on the river.
Lovely atmosphere, friendly service and good food.After dinner we said goodbye to our friends and met up with our nephew at Flinders Street Station.

The we headed over to the Crown Casino for a couple of hours.I watched and looked around while Kris & Dan played the slots for a bit.
The place is huge.
I couldn't get over the amount of shops open, food court full, little cafes, restaurant etc.

About 11.30pm we called it quits and headed back to St Kilda and bed.

Melbourne - Part 2

So we arrive in St Kilda with less money (oh well) and are dropped off at the Crest on Barklay.
Has a very nice exterior.......
A beautiful interior .......
And are then told by reception that they had moved us to their "apartments" down the road.
And this is the "apartments" ........
See the "doors" .....
they are just packing panels on hinges.
See the bits on the "doors" that look like handles .....
Nope no handles, not even a lock.

We said .... umm no, don't think so.
They said .... go have a look!
So we did!
We found a dingy stairwell that had rusted through railings ...
No lighting .....
No security ......
It was a ground floor apartment and didn't even have security bars.
What made it worse was the used syringe laying in the gutter outside the building.

So back we traipse to the reception and proceed to negotiate for the room we were actually promised.
And wasn't that an adventure in itself but that's another story.

So this is the room we ended up in.
In the original hotel
Looks pretty nice. Off to the left was a single bed that our nephew slept in.
We spent about 10 minutes in the room before we were off to catch the tram into Melbourne to meet people for dinner.
When we came back about 11.30pm that night we all got ready for bed.
My sister pulled back her comforter and guess what ......

No, you'll never guess .....

The sheets had not been changed from the previous guests!!!!!!!
There were short and curly dark black hairs all over the bed and the sheets had two cigarette burns in them :O

So we rang down to reception to ask for clean sheets.
We were informed that "housekeeping wasn't available as it was too late and to bring it to Reception's attention at 8.00 am".
I don't think so!!!!!
So I said I would go find a linen closet and just make the bed myself.
I walk out the door and guess who is out there ......

The guy from reception finding clean sheets.

We thanked him and then went to make the bed.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

He gave us single bed sheets for a queen size bed!


This was the "view" outside our window.
Stick around for Part 3 tomorrow :D

Melbourne - Part 1 - Friday

The reason I flew to Melbourne was to attend a meeting for BrAshA-T Ataxia-Telangiectasia Limited. A charitable organisation founded in 2008 of which I am the Secretary.

(Click logo to go visit our website brashat.org.au )

We left from Sunshine Coast Airport and flew with Jet Star.
It was a really good flight.
A little turbulence but nothing to worry about.

We were told to catch the "green" bus as it would drop us off right outside our hotel in St Kilda.

Uh huh .......

After 15 mins trying to find the "green" bus, we line up to get a ticket.
The two guys in front paid for theirs.
I ask for .........
Before I can ask for a ticket the bus driver tells us he's just sold the last 2 tickets.

What!!!!!

Great!!!!!!

He tells us a cab will only cost about $50.

So we go to the information desk about the "red" buses but they don't go to St Kilda.
Just into Melbourne CBD.
Told a taxi cab will cost about $40-45.

Okay!
So we hoof it back to the cab rank.
Get someone who sort of looks a bit local and knows where he's going.
Stash the luggage, hop in and off we go.

OMG!!!! Cab rides really are different down there hahahahaha

My sister who I flew with.
Just a couple of ambiguous photos out of the cab window.
The cost of the taxi ......

wait for it ......

over $75