Ischemic Strokes ~ What are They Exactly?

My Dad had an Ischemic Stroke on Thursday, October 10, 2013. This of course prompted me to go find out all I can about this type of stroke. I have a lot of information that I have found out about this illness that I will share in several blogs. 

First, do you know what the warning signs of a stroke are? Learning this information can save a life. A stroke can happen suddenly so knowing these signs tell you when to call 9.1.1. It is important to get help quickly because the quicker the person having a stroke gets to the hospital for care, the sooner they are treated. That can mean all the difference in their recovery as I can personally attest to with my Dad's progress.

What a Difference a Day Makes

Our family was turned upside down on it's head yesterday (10/10/13) by my Dad's stroke. I am the oldest sibling of 3 and we all came to the hospital from different directions as quickly as we could. My Dad was super lucky that he was not by himself when this occurred or we would be talking about a totally different outcome today.

He was a good candidate for tPA which is a drug that has many side effects that can be potentially dangerous. However, in a life or death situation such as this, the benefits far outweigh the dangers. I know this saved his life and definitely his quality of life for sure. 

Not What I Was Going to Write About

Wow what a day yesterday was. It was a day full of stress that I hope does not get repeated often. This will be short today as I will now have time while in a hospital waiting room to write many blog posts ahead.