Jim Weir

I just recently had my first stroke. The week of May 26th I seemed to be feeling extremely tired and very stressed. I could feel pressure at the base of my neck and my left eye. I would come home from my office and just want to go to bed and try to sleep. I have been using a C-Pap machine for sleeping for over eight months and was also wondering if maybe I might need some adjustments for better rest. My wife had been out of town for a speaking engagement and was coming home on Sunday June 1st. She called me to let me know that she had decided to come home on Saturday instead and cut her meeting short which turned out to maybe a lifesaver for me.

On Saturday May 31, 2003 I woke to find that I was extremely tired with pain in my left eye and a bad headache. My wife returned home around 4pm and we had a nice dinner at home. I cooked on the grill and we enjoyed the evening. Some good friends called around 8pm and we both spoke to them but I do not remember the conversation or even talking with them. I still had my headache and my wife thought that I was rather short and very quiet. I told her around 10pm that I was going inside to take a shower. After about ten minutes she came in to check on me and found me lying face down in the dressing area outside the shower room.

I had taken a shower and walked into the dressing area where she found me. She immediately called 911 for assistance. She could see that the left side of my face was drawn and I was unconscious. She also called my son who lives in the area. Both my wife and my son work for Saint-Luke's Hospital here in the Kansas City area. The hospital is one of eleven nationwide that has the Stroke Team and the TPA procedure. I also have had a pacemaker for the past six years and they both wondered if it could be a combination of stroke and heart attack. My wife has medical schooling and is a director at the hospital and my son manages a division of the hospital so both have medical knowledge.

I was taken to Saint-Luke's and the Stroke Team was able to administer the TPA procedure. I remained unconscious for almost 28 hours and the stroke was at the base of my brain stem, which they informed my family had a 80% mortality rate unless treated. After gaining consciousness I had weakness on the left side of my body both with my arm and leg. I left the hospital in four days time and began physical therapy both in the home and outpatient. After eight weeks of therapy I was able to return to half days at my office and have recovered almost 90%. I still get very tired and come home around 3:30pm for a nap of around 2 hours daily. I use a cane if I am going to be out for a long period only for support as needed. Otherwise you would never know that I had a stroke.

I am doing well and should be back to 100% within the next four or five months. I owe my recovery to the quick thinking of my family and the fact that I was taken to Saint-Luke's Hospital and received the TPA treatment. I am trying to make everyone in my office as well as my friends the signs and awareness of stroke and the quick action necessary to reverse the effects if medical attention is received within the first few hours. I still have fears of the possibility of another stroke and know that this is common. I am thankful for the stroke network and being able to talk and share with others. This is most important in the complete healing process.