Sometimes I can’t believe that it’s been almost ten years since I suffered an ischemic stroke. In some ways I am still rehabbing and recovering. I guess it never ends.
It’s definitely been a journey. Not one that I ever planned on. It did give me the chance to meet a few amazing people through rehab and other stroke survivors as well.
Here it comes… I’ve mentioned many times that no two strokes are alike and I do feel blessed that my personality didn’t change and I still have my sense of humor.
However, one thing they never warned me about was overstimulation and what that can do to you. I was reminded of it, yet again, this week.
Actually I can’t say for sure they never warned me about it. Those first few days after my stroke are a blur. My wife used to get upset because they didn’t always wait for her to visit the hospital and they would tell me things that I couldn’t comprehend at that moment.
I do remember one doctor visit while I was in the hospital. There was a meeting with my Neurologist when my phone started buzzing. I looked down and saw it was a Virginia Beach number. I said, “I have to take this,” and proceeded to take the call. Let’s just say the doctor was not amused.
It was my son, Doug, who was on an aircraft carrier. I did tell the doctor, “It’s my son from the Persian Gulf.” I still don’t think he was impressed.
My son was on a carrier using a satellite phone at the time. My wife got word to him through the Red Cross about my stroke and the Navy was preparing to fly him off the ship when he said, “I just need to hear his voice.” So, he called. We talked and he felt reassured and stayed on the carrier to do his job. When I hung up, the doctor was gone. Oh well.
Back to overstimulation….
This past week I had the opportunity to anchor the Election Night coverage on New Bedford Cable Network. It was fun as I spent two hours on air with my co-host, former City Councillor Jane Gonsalves. We talked, we analyzed what was going on and we interviewed candidates that came by as we awaited results.
Now I realize that I don’t have the most difficult of jobs. I sit and I talk to people. It’s not like my wife who, for over 20 years, has been a paramedic lifting heavy patients and deciding what needs to be done at car crashes on Rte128 at all hours of the day and night. There are people that pave highways or build houses. I watch people work on roofs in the hot Texas sun when I visit my family in Corpus Christi. I get it.
However, last Tuesday got a little busy. I was trying to describe it to my wife this week.
I was sitting in the Charles Ashley meeting room at City Hall in New Bedford. In front of me is a floor director who holds up signs telling me when to take a break or who is waiting to be interviewed. There are two cameras and a monitor in front of me so I can see what the people see on TV or YouTube. I have Jane on my right and different candidates sitting down on my left. There’s a roaming camera following the ballots as they come in and a camera in the Election Commissioner’s office where the results will be read. I have to keep an eye on that feed so we can break away for the all-important results. So, basically, I’m watching all of this while trying to not sound stupid while talking with Jane and our many guests.
I think the night went well, it felt smooth.
Then you go home and try to go to bed.
I’ve learned that you can’t just fall asleep after a busy evening like that so I read for a little bit. Then I saw midnight. And when you finally get to sleep you have very vivid dreams. It’s like I’m watching a movie so I never really feel like I got into a deep sleep. What did I dream about? I can’t remember. I wasn’t reliving the whole night. In fact I don’t think the dreams were about anything serious. The logical side of me knows it’s just my brain processing the night but it feels weird.
Needless to say, when the alarm went off at 6:30 a.m. for the radio show I wondered why I didn’t take that morning off. There was definitely nap time scheduled for that afternoon.
I’ve noticed this at other times too. If we have a houseful of friends and I try to follow all the conversations I don’t sleep well.
One night we went to one of my son’s gigs. We had food, drinks and listened to Hunter Braley for two or three hours with friends telling stories. Yeah, another tough night of sleep.
I’ve learned from other stroke survivors that I’m not alone in this.
Of course, the solution would be to not put myself in these situations to begin with. I’m just not ready to do that. I think of all the wonderful opportunities and the good times I would miss if I started saying no.
There may come a time for that but, for now, I’ll just lay down the day after. Maybe not plan anything for that day.
I don’t think they ever warned me about this, but that’s okay. We just deal.
Remember: just keep moving forward. Or as my hero Dory said in “Finding Nemo”… “Just keep swimming!”
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