John Doole

jdoole

By jdoole

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On July 3rd 2006 while enjoying a great BBQ in Portland Maine, I started having really bad nystagmus and vertigo. I thought I was dehydrated from drinking alcohol all day and playing out in the hot hot sun. It was around midnight and I decided to call it a night and go to bed on my friends sofa which was down stairs in the basement.

 

I attempted to walk down the stairs and fell head over heels. I thought to myself I would try to rest for a little bit and see how I feel after that. The nystagmus seemed to be better so I thought that re hydrating was doing the trick. I feel asleep and awoke the next morning to have the symptoms continue. I had my friend drive me to the hospital where I waited the day until I. I had a really bad headache. All my motor tests were ok and my CT was a bit "weird". I took a turn for the worse around 6pm and lost consciousness.

 

I had an emergency ventriculostomy and craniotomy performed the next day. I awoke on Wednesday to find that I had extra tubes coming out of my head. I had a cerebellar stroke (PICA vessel) due to a PFO (which I was unaware I had). I threw an embolus and was stroking for over 18 hours. I had about ~30-40% of my cerebellum removed. Remarkably I have very little sequlae because of it. I was really depressed for a while and somewhat delusional. I have made an excellent recovery and am awaiting PFO closure in the summertime. I am not looking forward to more surgery. I look forward to meeting others that have had a stroke, especially younger people as I am 30 years old.

 

From the category:

Bios

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Budweiser

Welcome John

 

Having a stroke is the worst fealing to have. I had a stroke almost 2 years ago at the age of 34. I had a bilateral dissection that was caused by a headon car accident. There is no age/colour/race for only strokes. That is what is scary. I hope we can help others to understand about strokes and at any age.

 

As you will see, there is alot of people on this strokenet community are different ages.

 

Take it easy and take it one day at a time.

 

 

Bill :welcome:

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angie

hey john. just read your bio. i am 33 and had a cerebellar stroke 2 weeks ago. i am so lucky that the only symptoms i seem to be having are a feeling of dizziness and general feeling of unsteadiness which is actually worse recently. even though i know i am fortunate i am still angry and sad at times. i was a social smoker and drinker and liked to go out and have a good time. the major risk factor i have is that i get migraines and they have found a strong correlation between those and strokes...ugggh! and it seems tere is nothing they can do about the migraines as mine are hormonally related and i have low blood presure. so i just take an aspirin a day! don't you just feel like you can't believe this is happened to you?? i sometimes feel like i am in a dream/nightmare and that i am walking in a fog. i always considered myself really healthy and i have low blood pressure, low cholesterol and no family hx of stroke aside frm my ma gma who is 90! saying i had a stroke just sounds insane.

 

so how are you feeling lately? i would love to chat sometime!

wishing you health!

angie

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HostAsha

hey John:

 

I too stroked at 34 in feb 2004, and had PFO which I got it closed in june 2004, I was angry,sad for a year or two, due to this site and blogging on these site my acceptance journey has become tad bit easier. I feel I am back in the game of life though I am not working anymore, but I am creating new identity for myself which is not defined by what I do for living, I am proud mom,wife, and just Asha

 

Asha

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smarshall

I can see by the picture you have a sense of humor!! That will help!! I was 36 when I had mine; I'm 51 now, and feel like I've almost always been this way.

Take care!

Susan welcome.gif

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