what a difference a day makes (i just got home from the hospital)

[TomInTib]

i just got home from the hospital.

i'll tell you what'll damn sure get one's attention.

and that is going to bed feeling fine and then waking up a few hours later with your right arm absolutely dead from the elbow down.

i was pretty damned scared.

i knew that i had not suffered an actual stroke because my face, gait and voice were normal, unaffected. but i was really concerned that one of my old brain injuries had come home to roost.

then i contacted Tandalayo_Scheisskopf because he is a very knowledgeable guy. he thought it might be TIA, which i had never heard of.

http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier...

so away we went. but only after i showered, washed my hair, shaved, brushed my teeth, dressed, buttoned up my shirt, put on bracelets and watch and tied my shoes. all on my own. i am extremely right-handed and all that just kicked my ass. especially that fucking watch band. try buckling an alligator strap with your teeth. but i was determined to start out at the maximum control mode that i could muster.

after much ado at marin general, it was determined that my ulnar nerve has crashed due to one of my old traumas.

i will begin neurological therapy on friday morning.

the prognosis is uncertain at this point, but i will probably never play guitar again.

but i am counting my blessings, right now.

and i am enjoying the humor of the situation. with my right hand floppy at the wrist, i am certain that i strongly resembled Cheeta the Chimp while washing my hair and face. and i almost jammed my toothbrush through the back of my skull.

Tom

on edit, sorry for the lack of caps but it is too danged hard to type them.

[NC_Nurse]

1. Ouch! I'm glad you're not facing something worse...

but geez, that sucks! I'm so sorry. I hope it resolves on it's own...or with your PT. :hug:

[calimary]

15. No kidding!

Hope you get better soon. Physical therapy is rawther miraculous. Got me out of Frozen Shoulder Land in just a few months. Amazing what they can do with just the slightest touches.

[villager]

2. old injuries, TominTib?

Heal well, and speedily... (and maybe learn left hand guitar, a la Sir Paul? ;-)

Was just by the bay for a few days myself, recently... miss it up there...

[melody]

3. a friend with a similar diagnosis was given a grim prognosis

He was told he'd never play tennis with his dominant hand again.

A year later, he won a local tournament -- with his dominant hand.

They always give you the worst case. Let's hope for the best.

[TomInTib]

6. i'm going for it, melody

i am full-tilt on this.

but i have almost zero strength in my hand and can only touch the tips of my first two fingers to the tip of my thumb.

[emilyg]

4. Heal - dammit

Glad nothing worse.

[MuseRider]

5. Wow.

Man am I sorry to hear about this. Be glad it was not a stroke or TIA but it must be difficult to look at possibly losing your guitar. Hang tough, probably you will recover fully but I can only imagine how that must feel. If I was to lose the ability to play I don't know how I would handle it, just the thought is scary.

We shall dance in the morning and send more blessings.

[MADem]

7. Gee, what happened to your ulnar nerve, lo those years ago?

I had a relative who had his arm sliced open in WW2 when his ship was so inconsiderate as to blow up on him--severed the thing. Miraculously, they were able to sew it back together (double miracle, as he spent no small amount of time in the water with sharks a-circling) and he actually did pretty well ever onward--his arm was fine, his thumb and first two fingers were fine, but his ring finger and pinky moved in perpetual tandem--it gave him somewhat of a rat-packish quality when he was gesturing, greeting or using that hand in any fashion.

Wishing you a speedy and full recovery. You've been in medical facilities too often of late, I think!!

[TomInTib]

10. no kidding. twice in one week.

but the first one was a lot more fun.

i have had multiple injuries on my right side.

heck, there is nary a side, limb, or my head that has not been injured somewhere along the line.

[JohnnyLib2]

8. Welcome home, and strength to you.

It's easy to tell that your spirit is unharmed!

[TomInTib]

11. thanks, JL2.

i am going to make the most of this.

and i have a much greater appreciation of those amongst us who deal with something like this on a daily basis.

[tularetom]

9. No prognosis yet?

I had some skin cancers removed from my right arm last spring and a local anesthetic was used. After the last one my arm went numb from the shoullder down and stayed that way for about two days. Essentially the anesthetic never wore off, but I was pretty scared for awhile. Fortunately I'm sorta ambidextrous so I was able to do most things although it made it difficult to ride a motorcycle or swing a golf club. I was able to use the computer and drive a car using only my left hand.

Then on the morning of the third day my arm started to tingle and by dinner time I had recovered all feeling and use fo the arm.

Worst part of it was my kids laughin and calling me a spaz.

Take care of yourself, and if you want to hear some good music to while away the time download "Dwight Sings Buck" just released today.

[TomInTib]

29. friday

i go to the neurologist friday morning.

thanks for the rec, i will try to find it.

[BuddhaGirl]

12. sorry to hear that!

Good luck with your therapy! Hope things get better! :-)

[fed-up]

13. next time if you think it is a TIA or Stroke-get to the hospital IMMEDIATELY-minutes count

I am glad that it wasn't a stroke, but not glad that you won't be playing your guitar.

There are medications available to treat stroke victims w/in the first few hours.

This is NOT something to fuck around with.

I speak from experience as a former caregiver for my late massive stroke surviving mother. And yes, she had a TIA a few days before the massive stroke. Kaiser SSF sent her home on Friday when she went in with numbness/tingling in her right hand, by Sunday evening she couldn't talk or walk to the car. F*ck Kaiser, they put down in her chart that it (Friday visit) was something related to her drinking 15 years earlier...

and yes, I can "yell/scold" you as I am a former Marinite, from way back in the 1970's... :)

and my ggpa used to own a Plumbing shop in Sausilito back at the turn of the century.


take care and heal quickly

[nadinbrzezinski]

14. Take care tom and his call on a TIA

was correct... on the initial

Hopefully the therapy will help bring fuction back to that Ulnar nerve

Good luck

[hootinholler]

16. Geebus Tom!

That'll harsh your mellow in a hurry! NGU, but, you know that already ;)

Let me know if there's anything.

-Hoot

[TomInTib]

24. thanks, hoot.

i'll tell ya, this thing has given me a different field of view.

tom

[Triana]

17. Darn, Tom!!

I hope the therapy helps, at least some!

Your typing is magnificent! Forget the caps. We don't need no stinkin caps!

[TomInTib]

26. left index finger.

kinda slow going, Triana.

[mogster]

18. Good luck with the therapy, TomInTib

Hope you will recover to 'old self' :-)

[Stinky The Clown]

19. Geez, man, get that wing back in shape ...... k?

A bucket of my best karma is on its way to you.

[NMDemDist2]

20. oh my! I'm so sorry you had such a scare

:hug:

glad you're home and have a plan.

[TomInTib]

27. i have never been so scared.

i would rather have people shooting at me, at least i would know what i'm up agaist.

the diagnosis came as a great relief.

[bleever]

21. Best wishes, Tom.

You're one tough dude. I'm not betting against you playing guitar again.

[TomInTib]

28. i don't care how long it takes or how hard i have to work at it.

i am going to see the other side of this one.

i will be the guy standing in the winner's circle.

thank you for your encouraging words, bleever.

Tom

[Mojorabbit]

22. Sending you the

healing mojo Tom and a big hug.

[applegrove]

23. I'm so sorry.

[roguevalley]

25. sweetie, keep using it no matter what. your brain and body will

rewire. my dad had strokes. painful and tough way to live but he was my hero. he never gave in and he never quit. research says repair is lifelong if you work at it. HUGS and much hope for you.

[TomInTib]

30. i will not give in.

heck, i am not even all that angry about it.

because i plan on winning.

[roguevalley]

32. then you will. they told us to take Daddy home and bury him. Little

did they know. :) My Pa is my hero, now and forever.

[SoCalDem]

31. Wow, you may not realize it yet, but you are VERY lucky

At least you are still with us, and are in rehab..You CAN recover from this..and don;t give up up the guitar just yet.. it just happened.. I think you will recover more than you think you will right now..

Many people don;t get a warning..:hug:

[knitter4democracy]

33. That is super scary! I'm so glad you're getting good care right away.

Nerve stuff can hurt. Make sure they help you with that. :hug: