And then the result from the vascular scan I was shocked, I was told that the right artery, or carotid artery was furred up between 65 and 70% and that was a shock to my system. So of course also immediately I was seen by a specialist, a vascular surgeon, consultant, the out, the out-patients appointment was made almost immediately and he talked, he explained to me a lot what could happen although I was put also on two aspirin actually, one is 75mgs, it's a tiny white one and then another one, I can't pronounce the name, Clavix, 75mgs and also the Simvastatin
Is that once a day?
Yeah once a day and the Simvastatin, which you take at night and that is to keep the cholesterol level down and that was 4, 40mgs. Then I was seen by a, a vascular neurosurgeon, consultant and he explained to me he said, “Although, if you are on medication it does not mean that you are safe from having TIAs or mini-strokes or that you are safe from having a major stroke. There is an operation, a surgery we can perform, and it's quite safe, it's about 95% it is safe but although with each operation there is always a risk, yes? But it is quite a safe operation, it is safer to have the operation and you have a lesser, risk, chance in getting a stroke, than being just on the medication although you may never have a major stroke while on medication but you see it's the uncertainty. Then I decided, alright after I saw the consultant I decided not to go ahead with the surgery, because he also explained there is a possibility that I might have a stroke under surgery and end up in a wheelchair, but it's a very, very small risk. And I wasn't pushed, I wasn't pushed in any way, just take your time, think it over and that's it and I left.
Then Easter Sunday I went to church and I was there for about twenty minutes and I was saying to the person next door, we were supposed to stand up for the Bible reading and I said “Oh I don't feel well, I don't feel good.” And again vision went and I felt like passing out, I felt really dreadful. So they took me outside into a cooler place and there again it was speech went, again slurred speech and difficulties with walking and my left arm again very heavy. So those kind people brought me home by car and phoned the emergency doctor, she came straight away, almost immediately and she said “Well there's not much I can do about your medication you know, I think we ought to transfer you to the hospital yes?” Phoned the ambulance, ambulance came, blood pressure high again and I was seen again by a registrar and he discussed again the type of surgery. And he did say to me, “You've had quite a few of those mini-strokes now and the ones you've felt of late they've been more severe than they were the first ones.” He said, “Well if it was me I would go ahead with that surgery because it is very successful now and you're going to have a good quality of life.” And that made me thinking because you know the fear, am I going to have a major stroke in town, walking up the road, is it going to happen in the shop, is it going to happen in the bus, is it going to happen in my garden? I'm on my own, I'm a widow, what is going to happen, am I going to have any more of those mini-strokes anywhere you know and what is going to happen? And I also thought alright I'll think about it. And the consultant he did say to me, or registrar, I beg your pardon registrar, he did say to me, “I'm going to make another out, out-patients appointment with the vascular surgeon yeah? But as soon as possible.” And this was done and the appointment was for the 26th of April this year, 2005, for admission on the 25th and then for surgery on 26th.
So anyway the day of surgery arrived and I was given my pre-med, of course I saw of course the anaesthetist and she was lovely, absolutely, and she explained a few things and then I saw somebody from the research centre as well who deal with this type yeah. And I was asked if I would be so kind and it's that, they called it the plaque, which, the furring of the artery, if I would be so kind and donate, leave this for medical research which I agreed and you have to sign of course the consent form. And I agreed to this and also for some medical students to be present at the surgery but unfortunately they were called up to a lecture yes. But they were there, when I was taken before the general anaesthetic they were in that room. And the anaesthetist she was absolutely superb, very, very understanding and she explained, “I have got a very nervous patient here, very nervous so I'm going to give her some oxygen first and some relaxing as well,” so and that was it. And then I woke up in recovery and I moved my hand and my leg and I said, “I am fine.” |
