Flowers From Friends




Thanks!

All the Gory Details....

If it were me, I’d have to know everything.

It was President’s Day weekend and my BFF, La and her daughter, Caroline were visiting. We were sitting at the table, just finished dinner and laughing when it hit. I felt my face go first, it was numb, then my arm…I was still laughing and couldn’t stop but knew something was very wrong. Jack and La were still laughing, I got up to try to walk it off and stumbled…then they knew too. I went in my first and hopefully last ambulance to the ER in Providence, had a CT that confirmed the diagnosis. My left arm only moved at the shoulder, Left leg could walk with support, left face drooped somewhat and speech was slurred, but that wasn’t concerning me then. I also got a stomach bug with all the nausea, vomiting and other stuff that goes along with it AND my period, when it rains, it pours! All this with one arm! Needless to say, I didn’t get much rest and was delighted to be sent home.

The pinky came back first. It was weird…I could swear the fingers were moving if I didn’t look at them. I would break out in a sweat just trying to lift my wrist. Gradually all the fingers moved one at a time...this typing is good exercise for them! I couldn’t get a bra on, button my pants, tie my shoes, clean my glasses, butter my toast…all the things you need 2 hands for that you take for granted.

OH almost forgot about the eye! About 2 wks after the first incident, I woke with double vision, as if the first one didn’t slow me down enough! I found this more frustrating believe it or not...thank God that’s improving too and the pirate patch is history.

Now that I can see and move, I’m concentrating on looking and sounding more normal. Even though I’ve been told you can barely tell, now that I’ve been scrutinizing my face in the mirror with speech exercises and I can tell…Vanity has returned which I’m taking as a sign that things are looking up.

WE CAN REBUILD HER

I am the Six Million Dollar Woman….by time all the bills come in, I’m sure it will be about that much!!

What a difference 2 months makes…..my left arm is fully mobile, including all fingers ;-) they still are somewhat mechanical and it doesn’t always feel like it belongs to me. I’ve been busy with PT, OT and speech therapy 3 days a week plus home work 3 times a day. I’m very motivated…keep telling myself that I can’t get stuck like this because I have too much to do!

I strongly advise anyone who may be considering having one of these to re-think….this is quite possibly the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do…And no, I had no idea this could happen….turns out lupus made me a prime candidate.

Thanks for all your prayers

Obstacles conquered:
Opening fist
Bra
Tying shoes
not walking into walls

Goals yet to be reached:
Vision totally clearing
Sounding like I did before
Facial symmetry
closing left eye independently
Strength and dexterity of left hand
Driving

the mole

is it my eyes or have there been quick flashes for 'the mole' during commercial breaks on ABC?