Doug Macpherson

Dr. Doug Macpherson had his first stroke four years ago when he was 38.

The morning prior to the stroke I had a severe chest pain for 15 to 20 seconds. I did not give much concern, because I ate healthy, walked 5 times a week and lifted weights 3 times a week. The morning after the chest pain, I awoke and preceded to get ready for work as normal. After breakfast my wife noticed I was highsteping which I had no idea. I turned to talk to my wife and collapsed on the floor. My wife and my neighbor loaded myself in the car and off to the hospital I went, this is when the fun started.

In the emergency room the ER Doc knew something was wrong. He called neuro for a consult. After two hours neuro arrived. By then I was paralyzed on my left side. He acted like he did not believed my wife as she told him the situation. He decided to do a spinal tap. After one and half hours of trying to do a spinal he asked for help, the other Doc did it 2 minutes. On the third day in the hospital a CAT scan and a MRI were ran and they found the clot. Then they ran many tests, with no luck. They ran a fiber optic scope down my nose and went behind my heart no luck, also went to my carotid arteries and found my left side never had an artery. They did not do much more the next 2 days.

I laid in bed and they would give me memory test. That is all they did oh what fun, because my memory was affected and the answers were all wrong. My wife told me later that one of the testers laughed at my weird answers. Upon being released the Doc said good luck we have no idea why you had a stroke. Then he said as he walked away you could have another stroke tomorrow, in a week or month, take care. I went to therapy for 6 months. By looking at me now you could not tell I had a stroke but what was affected was my memory, also a lack of get up and go. Three years later I had another stroke and went to a different hospital. The care was great. Unlike the first hospital, they prescribed blood thinners. Now I am on 6 different meds. I am unable to do my job because my memory is less then normal. So I do work that I can handle. The most important event now is to enjoy my wife and children. I enjoy life like it is my last day on earth. Head up, smile and say I will get though this I am a survivor.