CABG surgery plus one day

As if through a fog, a haze, a cloud, my consciousness returned. When it reached a certain threshold, the first thing I did was make sure my four limbs worked. They sure did. Next I checked my cognitive function. How? By thinking of the years of Collingwood premierships in my lifetime. (For the benefit of infidels: 1953, 1958, 1990 and 2010.) Thus I’d escaped the known heart surgery complication of stroke. Great news. I also quickly noticed my endotracheal tube had been removed from my throat. This buoyed me further: the literature and films I’d seen pre-operatively were unanimous that waking up with a tube down the throat – causing gagging and preventing talking – was the most lingering post-operative memory. I could tell I was in the Intensive Care Unit. (The previous evening I’d visited the ICU for a brief familiarisation tour.) There was a big round clock on the wall in front of me. It read 4 o’clock. I didn’t know which day it was let alone if it was 4 a.m. or 4 p.m. My nurse told me it was 4 a.m. on Tuesday 10 May. (This was about 16 hours after when I thought the surgery began.) I lay there content. Or at least inert. In no pain. And then I discovered my wedding ring wasn’t on my left ring finger.

farmdoc's blog post number 514

Of all diseases, arguably the one whose name is most appropriate is stroke. Because stroke strikes people down. Some types of stroke have a gradual onset. And in others, notably bleeding into the brain, the onset is instantaneous. Bang. One second healthy and well, the next second paralysed and often unable to speak. It’s a devastating disease alright. No question. The best approach to it is to prevent it – especially by ensuring blood pressure’s not high, and controlling heart irregularities. But despite this, stroke will continue to occur. These days, early detection and thus early treatment can restrict progression, resulting in a less severe stroke. National Stroke Week runs from 14-20 September. In conjunction with it, the National Stroke Foundation’s relaunched its campaign to help people recognise the early signs of stroke. It’s called F.A.S.T. – derived from Face (Check their face. Has their mouth drooped?), Arms (Can they lift both arms?), Speech (Is their speech slurred? Do they understand you?) and Time (Time is critical. If you see any of these signs, call 000 now!). I think it’s a good campaign: simple and catchy. I hope it results in less severe strokes, and that it saves lives.