The Episode

I was reminded last night how precarious our hold on this life can be. How simply and quickly it can change from happiness to sadness from health to illness (unhealth?). I was at a friends house we were chatting and watching a movie. Her husband T was about, feeling restless he went for a bike ride, came back chatted a bit and took the dog for a walk, just a block or two and back.

He was sitting on the couch, we had our back to him, when we heard a heavy harsh intake of breath and deep sigh as he let his breath out. When we looked at him he was holding his head cocked like he was listening to something, he was flexing the fingers on his right hand. "T are you okay?"
He shook his head as if to clear it, turned towards us looking kind of dazed and said "I don't know, I can't really feel my right side, it's all tingely and numb and I feel like I can't control it and the vision in my right eye is gone."
"What!"
"yeah, I feel really weird."
I jumped out of my chair and knelt in front of him.
"Look at me." His pupils looked fine. I'd read somewhere, or maybe watching ER that if you have a stroke one of your pupils stays dilated, I don't know if this is true but I was checking anyway. I took his pulse, it was regular and strong. His breathing wasn't labored. I asked him his name, age, address and phone number. He stumbled over a couple words like he was having trouble spitting them out but he knew all the pertinent information. He looked at me
"The right half of you is gone, just gone, wait it's back, nope gone again" He laughed like this was some parlor trick his brain was playing on him. I had him grip both my hand in both of his, his strength felt the same on both sides, but he still said he couldn't really feel his right arm or right leg. While I was doing my best paramedic impression his wife couldn't decide what we should do.
"call 911"
"Do you think I should?
" huh? "Yes! call 911."
She starts flitting around looking for his wallet.
"Where is your insurance card? What is your doctors name? What hospital do we use?" I took her by the shoulders and stopped her mad pacing.
"Worry about that later, call 911"
She was doing her best to remain calm but was being distracted by things we didn't need to worry about right now. T was starting to list to the left and put his hand on his chest
"My breathing feels kind of funny, fluttery, like I can't catch my breath and I fell like I'm gonna barf" I ran and got a bucket just in case.
"Just hang on, keep talking, the paramedics will be here soon"
"What should I talk about?"
"I don't know, whatever you want, I just want to make sure your speech sounds okay and that you stay awake" He didn't look like he was going to pass out but what the hell did I know.
It was national night out so the police and firemen we out and about in the neighborhoods. It took the paramedics from the fire station approximately a minute and half to get there.

The short version the ensuing events. They check him out, took his pulse and blood pressure. Did and eye check, checked the strength in his hands and feet. Had him stand up, close his eyes and put his hands straight out to his sides and touch his nose (when in doubt do a sobriety test?)
He said the symptoms were subsiding and he was feeling better except now he had a headache. The ambulance arrived about this time. They did the same battery of tests as the firemen. They told him since the symptoms were almost gone it was unlikely he had had a stroke, or a mini stroke but that he should get checked out in the ER tonight because there was no way to know what caused the episode and she couldn't guarantee that something else wouldn't happen again tonight, he shouldn't wait until tomorrow to see his regular doctor.

When I left them they were packing up to take a trip to the ER, I don't know what the outcome was yet and anxiously await a call.

He is 44 years old, he doesn't drink or smoke. He eats healthy and exercises regularly. He doesn't take any medications daily, just a vitamin. He does all the things you are supposed to do to keep healthy at his age. With the exception of work. He is an architect. He works 60 to 70 hours a week constantly against tight deadlines and demanding clients.

He needs to take a break but says he can't. He may be forced to now. It is amazing how quickly we are reminded that we need to take care of our mental health as well as our physical health.
The old saying about stopping to smell the roses is true. We need to take time to decompress. Stress kills. It's not big and dramatic and messy, but it kills just the same. Sitting there watching TV and your body just says "That's it, I can't take the stress anymore, listen to me or I'm done" I hope he heeds this wake up call.