Emergency! -The Big Wammy Arrives

Tuesday went well, got lots done.  Not a bad day as days go. Finally about 10 pm I finally got a chance to sit down.
When I go to get up my legs are not steady – that inner ear infection had come back with a vengeance and the stuff I was taking had run out.

It’s going to be a rough night! About 11:30 I thought this might be more than an inner ear infection.

I asked my wife to call a friend to get me to the hospital to get checked out.

My friend arrives.  By this time he has to grab me by my belt with one hand on a shoulder and steers me down to the car.

We arrive at Richmond General hospital about 12:30 in the morning Wed.

I am still convinced that it is an inner ear infection gone bad.
The triage nurse is not buying my diagnosis.

About 20 minutes later they have me stuffed into an ambulance headed to VGH (Vancouver General Hospital).
This is the main centre for emergency stroke care in our health region.

Got the full treatment;  sirens and lights –  they must be serious about this stroke thing.
Maybe diagnosing myself was not such a good idea.

These people are moving fast, as I arrive at VGH they wheel me into the cat scan.
After a few more tests and they say I have had a stroke!
Because I have waited a little too long the treatment they can give immediately after a stroke I can’t have.
( There is a three-hour window for this protocol, after that the risk is too high).
It is more harmful than good. So they give me some aspirin and blood thinners
And admit me to the ward. It’s 3 am by this time.

We complain about our medical system in Canada but when it needs to work, it does so in amazing fashion!
I owe my life to that amazing team thank you!