My angiogram was September 4th. I checked in, got my IVs started, and was wheeled back on the bed to the waiting area. While there I decided to use the bathroom before going in. I come back and they decide I could just walk into the operating room and get on the operating table myself. I was going to be awake for the procedure. They gave me fentanyl and something "to relax me". The procedure itself took less than an hour. They moved me back to the waiting area where Charles was waiting. The dr came in and said everything looked great and I would no longer be required to be seen annually. They went to comment on that and realized I had some trouble speaking. Charles immediately said something isn't right. They started doing a full neurological exam asking me lots of questions and making me move me hands and feet. At that point the only deficit seemed to be my speech. They called a Code Stroke and I was sent for CT scans. The CT scans looked fine so I was moved to the post-op waiting area (the same place they got me prepped for the procedure). They were guessing that I may have a vasospasm from the procedure. While waiting Charles and I were talking about how upsetting it was because I was supposed to be in and out and he had already grabbed lunch but I wasn't allowed to eat. I started to cry and asked him to grab a tissue. I went to grab it and realized I couldn't move my hand. Cue freak out. He immediately got someone and within seconds there were about 10 people there. The Doctor did the whole "test" again, move my hands and feet, tell them my name and birthday, etc. When I went to move my right foot I couldn't lift it. So now, I am having speech issues and my right hand and foot are not fully functioning. The call Code Stroke again and tell me I am not leaving.
The told me if it is a vasospasm that it would resolve in 24 hours. About the time a bed was ready on the Neuro floor visiting hours were over and thanks to COVID-19 Charles was not allowed to stay. We were not happy. It was quite a flashback for Charles because this is where I stayed last time when I was there for so long. I don't have much memory of those days.
The next day the doctors came around 10am and said since I was still having significant issues that they were ruling it a stroke and not the vasospasm. The day before the Dr told us that he has never had this procedure cause a stroke in any of his patients. Leave it to me to break the cycle.
I start speech and occupational therapy tomorrow morning. I've gained my full range of motion in my foot/leg but my thumb, pointer and middle fingers on my right hand are not really working independently and my speech "sounds a little southern" apparently from what people have told me. For me it's just difficult to say words with vowels and longer syllables.
I'm having new symptoms that I had never had before this 2nd stroke as well. My right side keeps going numb. The past week it was just the right side of my face and my right hand and arm but today my entire right side went numb. It started in my face and neck, then down my arm and my back and chest, and my hip and leg. All only on my right side. We're hoping the therapists can give us some insight tomorrow but we have a call into my doctor a well.
