Update: After the stroke

Three months on and I'm doing just peachy.

It’s been three months since I had a Transient Ischemic Attack, commonly known as a ministroke. I thought it might be a good time to provide an update, first to reassure those who care about me that I’m feeling quite chipper these days, and second to disappoint those who would celebrate the hastening of my demise.

I would hope the former would outpace the latter.

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What happened

In the wee hours of the morning of Labor Day I had a psychedelic dream, one with vivid colors and shapes, but was wildly confusing and uncomfortable … and scary. I awakened at 6:30 not knowing what had happened inside my brain, but something was not right. I wobbled to the bathroom, disoriented and sluggish. I made breakfast, but it was a struggle. I couldn't read more than three words. Conversations were brief as I couldn’t process what people were saying. My left leg would bear south while my right leg trended west-northwest.

It took two days before I went to the emergency room at Northside Hospital (yes, I’m stubborn). But when I couldn’t write “$18” on the bill for a haircut, I knew I was in trouble.

A flurry of tests was conducted, including a CT scan, an MRA (A type of MRI that measures blood flow), and a two-hour Echocardiogram. The MRA confirmed: I’d had a stroke. Fortunately, several doctors determined I was functional enough to be released after 24 hours.

But the damage had been done. (Including a $36,000 bill)

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Symptoms: Ataxia and Aphasia

The most noticeable symptoms were Ataxiatic … the loss of fine motor skills. I could not type or text. I handled a knife and fork like a 2-year-old. Cutting vegetables and other small foodstuffs became a 30-minute task. Just answering my phone was comical, like a circus clown grasping a greased bar of soap.

Most disturbing, however, were the effects caused by Aphasia, the loss of processing language. This is a real problem for anyone who communicates through the written word. Precision syntax and diction are essential to a writer, especially one who is always searching for the golden phrase. I cannot explain the neurological connection between the brain and hands. It just happens.

“The difference between the almost right word and the right word is really a large matter—it's the difference between the lightning bug and the lightning.” — Mark Twain

But I found writing frustrating and disconcerting. I searched for the right word(s), but they just didn’t materialize. When they came, the slowness of typing thwarted my creativity.

However, slowly everything is coming back. I’m able to type again, and the artistry with the cutting knife has returned. I use clay to strengthen my fingers. Special balancing exercises, which I do daily, have returned core strength and stability in my legs.

And I’m writing.

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Overall health

I’m in excellent health at age 69. All my vitals are good. I’m at an ideal weight. I work out with weights 5 days a week at a pace that would make a young man envious. I have big arms, broad shoulders, a flat stomach (34-inch waist), and visible pecs at an age when “moobs” (man boobs) and beer guts are dominant.

That said, the last 12 months have been challenging. In December 2023 I suffered a severe Shingles attack which led to Postherpetic Neuropathy. This neurological condition has caused numbness from my high ankle down to 50 percent of my left foot. Then, an MRI in April revealed a kidney stone that had to be removed. I leave it to your imagination as to the procedure.

Me with my grandson AJ

On top of that, I am dealing with stress fractures in two vertebrae (T5 and 6) which, while not debilitating, is a source of constant annoyance. My back barks when I’m on my feet for more than a few hours. In addition, I’ve long suffered from Tinnitus and mild-to-moderate hearing loss, especially the soft-spoken tones of young females. (As a substitute teacher, they are just muppets with moving mouths.)

I’m not complaining, though. I sleep well, have no stress and live very comfortably. As I age, I’m doing so with great confidence and resolve.

And I’m writing again. Not even a stroke can stop that.

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Jim Geschke was inducted into the Marquis Who’s Who Registry in 2021.