I have been answering/encouraging words of others regarding similar situations but curious what others know out there. So in 2007 I became pregnant with my daughter and at 5 months into it I was told I have the looks of a really rare pregnancy in simple terms a " one footling backwards split breech" by looking it up it's what 4% of pregnancies in the world have. Luckily I was and continued to be with Vanderbilt hospital. She was basically doing a can opener backwards in my stomach. So I had a scheduled c section on a Saturday and had an unfortunate mini stroke on that Monday morning at the age of 22. My heart rate was 166. I was on the verge of a heart attack. So to get to the point I am still having issues with my memories prior to the incident and bad word recollection when talking to anyone. I feel really uneducated when I eventually have to change the subject when I know good and well what I'm trying to say but I'm sure the other person doesn't realize that. Does anyone else know anything about this or experienced this at such a young age and still experiencing effects 6 years later. Also meant to say I have tried numerous medication and mental health assistance. I'm not giving up!
B. L
B., I have no experience in this matter. I just want to tell you how sorry I am that you went through this and are still feeling the after affects of it.
The only thing I can think of that might be helpful is to work with a speech and language therapist who works with stroke victims specifically. Vanderbilt can give you some names. It's great that you've tried other avenues. Give the speech therapist a try.
All my best...
Awwww....B.! I am so sorry for the ordeal that you are going through. I am not a sufferer of a stroke myself but my father was and when this occurred, he was not old. Granted, my father had medical complications due to failing kidneys that precipitated this and because of that, he had two mini strokes at a young age and then a complete brain bleed at 60. The last one resulted in a craniotomy and almost took his life. My Dad lost a few things with the strokes. Most notably the first one which tampered with his short term memory and also speech. He was re-habbed for over a year and the speech improved but the memory was never quite recovered. The second stroke affected more of his musculature than anything else. That one was lower down by the brain stem and deeper inside the brain itself. Once again, he proceeded with rehab for months and months until he recovered some....not all.....of his motor skills that were lost. He was left with a tiny bit of facial paralysis on the one side of his lower jaw but nothing really noticeable considering what he had been through. His short-term memory was also still faulty and there were times that we would ask him something and 2-3 minutes later, he would come up with the answer. He would tell us that the answer was there immediately but the words weren't coming out at that time. We learned to be patient and accept his blurted out answers after the fact. We loved him and if that's as good as it gets, we'll take it!
Brain injuries, bleeds, and strokes are still a huge medical mystery to the many doctors and specialists out there who treat them. All of my dad's doctors and the two neurosurgeons that saved his life in the massive cranial bleed told us that their jobs are never in statistics of 100%. They said they live their medical careers in a pond of "what-ifs, maybe's, and possibly's." The brain and injury to it of any kind is still medically challenging and unpredictable even with today's modern medical advances. My advice, based on recovery factors I witnessed through my Dad, is to continue with intensive rehab therapy. Medications were not what really pushed my Dad along, but the rehab did. They brain needed to re-learn and be re-trained to do what it already knew how to do. Are you able to find a Neurologist or Therapist close to you and talk about an intensive rehab program to try? That's where I would start. Get the medical clearance to do this first and then submit through insurance for a complete round of intensive speech, cognitive, and also occupational therapy. Combine them all in a planned program to start re-training your brain to grab the gifts that it already had and utilize them once again. This is what I feel might help you. In the meantime, stay positive and look to the future. Forget the past as it has no bearing on where you are going right now. Good luck and I will be thinking of you!
I would consult a speech pathologist that works with stroke victims. Sounds like you have mild expressive aphasia and mild memory deficits. I am a speech pathologist and have worked with many stroke patients in my 17 year career. You should be able to find a professional in your area.
It sounds like there is damage that is long-term but I'd work on therapy as much as you can. Speech help can do wonders! Maybe not normal, but a huge help!
I have to agree with Patty K on this. My husband had issues and had to have brain surgery to remove the clot. Doctor said he came back once the clot was out (most people don't). He had to learn how to do some things over and is really good now about 90 per cent his old self - 5 per cent new person (I like this new guy).
Try to get some therapy to help you rebuild the lost connections in the brain. I say this because of having pneumonia about 6 years back and very low oxygen I lost a few of my cells. I recall the answers but they would not come out or would not connect when doing algebra. It was like the answer was right there and as the last connection would be made it would flip and fly by like two jet planes goes by at Mach I in an air show. Very frustrating. The other day I had an emotional internal feeling that I really felt for the first time in over 6 years. So I know that they brain does reconnect when you do challenge it to make new pathways.
Oh, hubby would say that when the words came out for answers they were jumbled up and did not always make sense. But they are much better now. Occasionally he will say something that is a bit off but it is now part of him.
Good luck to you in getting the help you need.
the other S.
PS Life is good.
Hi B.,
Just some extra info....the anesthesia for the c-section can cause the same exact symptoms. If it was the anesthesia the drugs can very well still be in your system. Pharmaceuticals have to be removed, they don't just leave. A chemical detox will tell you if that is it. A naturopath can tell you exactly what you need. You also need antioxidants and something to clean out your vascular system. I know this is a different scenario but my elderly Dad had numerous mini-strokes and we stopped them as well as getting some of his memory back.
Hope this helps.
M.
You should probably speak with your doctor about that. It's been six years. Is this new or has it been going on for six years. To my knowledge TIAs really do not have any long lasting effects, but I am not a doctor.
Dear B.,
If you're having trouble remembering words, there's a chance you may have a mild case of aphasia. This is one of the most common side effects of a stroke, and from what I've learned and read, it's amazingly frustrating.
I really recommend that you look into the National Aphasia Association (NAA), at http://www.aphasia.org/. They can help you find a doctor who specializes in the condition, and they have support groups all around the country, as well as online.
I also want to say: you're not alone! Aphasia (if that's what you have) can be very isolating, since it affects communication -- but also affects a whole, whole lot of people. One of the best known contemporary sufferers is Gabrielle Giffords, the Arizona congresswoman who was shot in the head and (amazingly) survived.
My very best wishes to you,
Mira
