Bill Reid
This day started on Tuesday March 29, 2005. I was 34 years at that time. I drive to work every morning at 5:30am. I am/was a Engineering Service Manager (special elevators). I bought a new truck 5 months ago (4 door Dakota V8). I was 10 minutes away from my house when a guy fell asleep driving and he swerved to my side and hit me headon. We was doing about 70km as I was going about 40km. I hit the airbag with my face. I had a little bit blood on my lip and I broke my right hand (I lost my left hand in 1990 at work). I could not see my left eye at all.
At the hospital, I was feeling weird, I don't know what but I knew something was going to happen. I told the doctor I couldn't see my left eye but the doctor said it was fine and he will send me to x-ray for my right hand. While after my x-ray I turned paralyzed (for whole right side), I was looking to my left and I hear my wife (she wasn't in my truck) and doctor talking to me but I could say a word. It's the scariest feeling ever. The doctor sent me for a CT right away. After awhile, the doctor came back with a CT and he said I had blood in my left brain and they will send me to another hospital for a nuero area. After awhile I could move my right side and I could start to talk, but only say 1 or 2 words with alot of bad words.
After alot of x-rays/MRI/MRA/CT etc...., they said I had a bilateral Carotid Dissection. The left artery's lining teared and let out the blood to my brain, then it caused an infarct (stroke). The neurosurgeon said it was a major stroke but no need for surgury as the blood as stopped. The doctor said not to many people life after a bilateral dissection. I was lucking. My doctor wants to see a doppler on my artery every year now as my left artery has a problem. It has enuogh blood for now, but not sure how long.
I've done 10 months of physio (broke hand and stroke) and I still do speech therapy. My stroke was in the left brain and it caused my speech/language/comprehension etc... I get so frustrated cause you can't say the words you want.
I'm near the one year stroke. I can drive again but I can't work...yet. Everyone, be happy everyday and be safe!!!
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