Hospital again
 

Gary is in the hospital again. He had signs of a stroke this monring when he got up. He had weakness in his left arm and leg, and slurred speech. I raced him to the ER where the symptoms were much better and went away in about an hour. He is completely fine now. They are doing a stroke workup to see if they can determine what caused it. The doctor thinks it was a stroke, rather than a TIA (transient ischemic attack), but that there was no damage. They must decide a course of action though, in order to treat him properly to avoid another stroke.

Things are complicated because he cannot have a dye study of his brain which would tell them more than a plain old CAT scan (which showed nothing) because his kidneys do not function as they should and the contrast dye could further damage them. So, they are ruling out everything else it might be and then they will go from there.

I'll update you all more when I know anything! I'm bored, so may be online more than usual - thank goodness for wireless internet!!!!!

Hang in there, girl!

Thanks Sandy, we're hanging tight!

Geez Gayle...I'm so sorry! I hope they can pinpoint the cause. Are all of his symptoms gone already? Let us know how things are progressing. I think a stroke is what I fear most for Mike. Take care of you too... My thoughts and prayers are with you both. Betsi

Yep, all gone, been gone since about 8:30 this morning (thankfully). They've just been running tests today, all of which so far, are normal (for him). We are waiting for one more, a study of the carotid arteries in his neck. They need to be sure they are not clogged up. Keep your fingers crossed that they are OK, there is a surgery to unclog them, but I don't want him to have to go through that!!!

I know, a stroke is my worst nightmare for Gary too. I think this was a big time warning sign, and hopefully, we can keep him from having the big one. They will likely put him on blood thinners for the rest of his life - aspirin or coumadin - just depends on how big they think the risk for another stroke.

I'm glad his symptoms are gone! Blood thinners sound like a good idea. Mike is on aspirin, plavix, and 2 shots of lovenox a day. He was on coumadin for a short while...I just hate that stuff! It's so hard to regulate. I'm glad Gary just had this "warning"...not the Big One:eek: Let me know what they say about his carotids. Hang in there!

Gayle, I am so sorry to hear about your hubby. I hope they can find out what is wrong and that he feels better soon. I will be praying for both of you.
Lynne

Thanks everyone for your support. I'm home with the doggies now. He was watching TV and going to take a sleeping pill about 9:00, so hopefully, he'll get a little sleep tonight. His heart failure doc came to see him and said that all the heart tests turned out fine. Good news. We are just waiting for the carotid test - (fingers crossed) hope it will be OK too!

Betsi, I agree about coumadin, but the last time he was on it, we were told he qualified for a home monitoring machine and if that is the case, then it will be OK as we can get it regulated ourselves. We didn't get the machine because his coumadin was only short term. This will be permanent, so we will definitely get the machine this time. Gary has taken Lovenox just a few days before starting coumadin. It caused so much bruising that it looked like he had been beaten badly in a battle!!! :eek:

A home monitoring machine sounds wonderful! I'm sorry he has to add a medicine, but at least he won't have to go to the lab every few days. Between 2 shots of lovenox and 2 shots of insulin a day, Mike is one big bruise.

I hope you can get some rest tonight..the hospital should provide sleeping pills for spouses;)

Praying for a peaceful night, and a tomorrow that will bring all the right answers..

You and Gary are in my thoughts and prayers..

Oh, Gayle, I've been very busy and just logged on to find this. So hope all goes well with the tests. So sorry you and Gary are going through all of this, but so glad that the symptoms are all gone!!! Perhaps this was the warning call that will help avert something that could have been much worse.

You are both in my thoughts and prayers.

Gayle...I'm so sorry you and Gary are going through this. I'm sick with the flu and couldn't get on yesterday and not sure how long at a time today. I hope they have some answers for you today. I'll try to get on later for an update. You and Gary are both in my prayers.

Gayle, so sorry, will be praying for you guys.

Gayle,

I am so sorry to see this. You and Gary are in my prayers.

My Mom was on coumadin for years, way before regulatory machines. It really kept her going for a long time.

HI Guys!
We are just waiting for the results of one test and if it OK, we can fly this coop! We do know that he has some plaque build up in his carotid artery, and it may have to be cleaned out at some point. We are hoping that they don't have to do it this week. The neurologist has not yet seen the report, but when he does, we will have some answers. He said he would go to radiology to see if he could get the report. Hopefully, Gary won't need the surgery - I hate for him to have to go through the stress of that - but he CAN'T have a stroke, so whatever they say he needs, we will think about it carefully and choose the best course of action. The way they are talking though, I think we'll get to go home today on coumadin or aspirin, and then maybe have to think about the carotid surgery at a future date, if needed.

Gary is doing great, no return of any symptoms at all. He's already tired of the hospital bed, food, and noise!!! He's ready to GO HOME!

Good news AGAIN! Hope y'all can go home today.

MIL (83) had surgery last week for 80% carotid artery blockage, with no problems.

Sandy, thanks for the information about your MIL doing well after carotid surgery. We just found out that Gary doesn't need surgery now, his blockage is not enough to warrant surgery. Good news for us!

We are STILL waiting for one doc to OK either coumadin or aspirin therapy. I just asked the nurse to call the doc. It is silly for us to sit here waiting and waiting and waiting. It has been 2 hours since the admitting doc said we could go home when the heart doc OK'd coumadin or aspirin. Gary has been in the hospital 12 times since Dec. of 2003, and one of the most frustrating aspects of each discharge is waiting for the damned doctor to come and let us go!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Are you a quota? You're just so sweet, they can't let you go!

I have NO PATIENCE! When I had my second gallbladder attack, the ER doctor cleared me to leave and I waited over an hour for the nurse to simply pull the IV, let me sign my name and leave. I am NEVER rude to caretakers, but it was very apparent that she was ignoring me. Against my daughter's begging and possibly my better judgment, I pulled the IV myself and walked out.

Gayle, I'm so sorry to hear about Gary but I'm glad that there's no damage. I'll be praying for Gary. {{{{{Gayle and Gary}}}}}

We Are Home!!!!! :d

I'm sure that Gary feels a lot better just by being home.

I am so glad to hear that Gary is doing better and dosen't need surgery at this time. And glad that you are home, I hate waiting around the hospitals.
Hope you both can get some rest now.

I'm so glad you are out of the hospital!! Did they put him on coumadin?

Hi Gayle. I haven't been on much and just came across your thread. So happy to hear that Gary is home and feeling better. I will keep him in my prayers and I hope he doesn't have another scare like that . Poor Gary had enough to deal with these last few months. Thank God you are there for him.. he is blessed to have you.

Yes, they put him on coumadin. I'm sure he'll be on it till something better comes along - or forever. The last time he was on it the coumadin nurse said he would qualify to get a home testing machine. That will make it so much easier than running back and forth to the nurse to get tested. I hope we can indeed, get a home test machine.

I think he's a little scared now - which is not necessarily a bad thing. He often feels invincible (incredible, I know, given all his serious illnesses). This may be the wake up call he needed to pay more attention to what is happening and to taking better care of himself.

Having the scare of a stroke is a very serious thing..for both of you. I really don't understand what it is in some men that makes them think they are invincible. Is it because they haven't died:eek:?? I get so frustrated sometimes. Mike's blood sugar is staying around 400, even with the doc increasing it every few days. He sees an endocrinologist soon. He is watching his diet, but it doesn't seem to help.
I hope you get the test machine soon. You guys get a good night sleep!

I think you and I should take a vacation together :plane::island2::martini:

Why should he be scared? He has you to take care of him! I'm glad he's home and that he doesn't need the surgery.

That's great news Gayle....that he won't need the surgery. I know you'll see to it that he starts taking better care of himself. If the machine will be a better thing, then I hope you are able to get one. Sorry...but I don't know much about them, but it sounds like a very good thing.

Your husband's blood sugar is really high. I hope that the doctors are able to get it under control.

I'm so sorry that you and Gayle have husbands with health worries. {{{{Hugs}}}}

I am so glad he is home.

Thank you! They do seem to have a lot of the same problems. Mike feels pretty good most of the time, but when he's down, it's usually serious. Sounds like the same with Gary. Geez...what would they do without us?;)