had a weird and mindboggling dream the other day. somehow i was on a trip to new york. so i went to visit the 9/11 memorial. and what i visualised was a very high, immensely lit ceiling with Sistine Chapel-like paintings. immediately i woke up, wondering what i had been watching or reading before i went to sleep. and i've never been to sistine chapel.
Saturday, November 30, 2013
Stroke
On the 6th of November, my father complained of weakness on his left leg. He could not move it. I was preparing to go back to Kuantan, and the sight of him dragging the leg when he tried to walk made me worry that he might have had a stroke. He refused to be taken to the hospital at first, but then he relented.
To cut a long medical diagnostics story short, he did have a stroke. The scan showed multifocal infarcts, meaning that the blockage causing the stroke happened at several places in his brain. In addition to the weakness, it was found that his balance was affected as well.
And so physiotherapy started. He still can't walk. He is dependent on his Luggie scooter, wheelchair and four legged walking stick. The scooter weighs more than 20kg, and true to its name, it had to be lugged into and out of the carboot everytime my father goes out of the house. Much needed weight-lifting exercise for me, although I didn't lose a gram of my weight at all :p.
Two days ago, we met his cardiologist. He advised on the possibility of stroke happening again, and its debilitating effects as well as other effects on the sufferer and his/her family members. One thing that he said was that, once someone is debilitated, the family members will surely be affected. The family members will of course take care of the patient out of responsibility and love, however, the doctor will ask the patient to please please take care of him/herself and please please try and lower the risk of getting oneself another stroke. And then the doctor referred my father to the anti-smoking clinic....
But yes, stroke, however mild, does have big effects on the sufferer and the family members. My father is frustrated and gets angry oh so easily. My mother is emotionally high-strung after being the receiving end of my father's anger. The children, including me, are affected from being the mediators, the ones who had to listen to all the disparaging remarks. No one was happy for a while. No one was talking to anyone. Everybody was tired and easily irritated, physically and mentally. It wasn't so much the physical drain as the emotional one - you would sleep and you would wake up sort of energised; but somehow looking at everybody's unsmiling faces makes me weary again. And it wasn't just the family members; somehow this misfortune has put a strain on my relationship, too.
So, there they were, some of the effects of stroke. Things are hopefully getting better now.
And my dear, if you are reading this, please know that I love you very much. I do not want you to be incapacitated from stroke or from any other disease for that matter. If it does happen, you know I will take care of you, but before it happens, let's do our best in preventing it from happening.
To cut a long medical diagnostics story short, he did have a stroke. The scan showed multifocal infarcts, meaning that the blockage causing the stroke happened at several places in his brain. In addition to the weakness, it was found that his balance was affected as well.
And so physiotherapy started. He still can't walk. He is dependent on his Luggie scooter, wheelchair and four legged walking stick. The scooter weighs more than 20kg, and true to its name, it had to be lugged into and out of the carboot everytime my father goes out of the house. Much needed weight-lifting exercise for me, although I didn't lose a gram of my weight at all :p.
Two days ago, we met his cardiologist. He advised on the possibility of stroke happening again, and its debilitating effects as well as other effects on the sufferer and his/her family members. One thing that he said was that, once someone is debilitated, the family members will surely be affected. The family members will of course take care of the patient out of responsibility and love, however, the doctor will ask the patient to please please take care of him/herself and please please try and lower the risk of getting oneself another stroke. And then the doctor referred my father to the anti-smoking clinic....
But yes, stroke, however mild, does have big effects on the sufferer and the family members. My father is frustrated and gets angry oh so easily. My mother is emotionally high-strung after being the receiving end of my father's anger. The children, including me, are affected from being the mediators, the ones who had to listen to all the disparaging remarks. No one was happy for a while. No one was talking to anyone. Everybody was tired and easily irritated, physically and mentally. It wasn't so much the physical drain as the emotional one - you would sleep and you would wake up sort of energised; but somehow looking at everybody's unsmiling faces makes me weary again. And it wasn't just the family members; somehow this misfortune has put a strain on my relationship, too.
So, there they were, some of the effects of stroke. Things are hopefully getting better now.
And my dear, if you are reading this, please know that I love you very much. I do not want you to be incapacitated from stroke or from any other disease for that matter. If it does happen, you know I will take care of you, but before it happens, let's do our best in preventing it from happening.
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