I was having a stroke

At 29 years of age, the last thing you think about is a stroke, writes JERRY MURPHY

I WAS working at my job in the post office in Macroom, Co Cork, back in April, 2007, when I had my first “bang” as I called them. I was dealing with customers at the counter when out of the blue, I started having difficulty picking up coins with my right hand. It was a very busy morning and I had a queue of customers out the door, so I kept going as best I could.

When I tried to write up the deposit books, I couldn’t grasp the pen properly. Then another clerk asked me a question and I opened my mouth but nothing came out, so I left the counter and went into the staff room. I tried to tell the cleaner something was wrong, but I couldn’t get any words out. She calmed me down and walked me down the street to the doctor.

The GP called an ambulance and I was taken to Cork University Hospital (CUH) at about 1pm. By the time I was seen by a SHO at 4.45pm, I was back to normal, so I was discharged. I had also had a CAT scan, which came back clear.

At 29 years of age, the last thing you think about is stroke and there was no history of it in my family, but I knew that first day that I was having a stroke. Two weeks later, I was sorting letters at work when I had another attack. My right arm felt heavy and I couldn’t pick up the letters. I felt the power draining from the right side of my body.

The doctor was sent for and I was admitted to CUH, but the symptoms had subsided within two hours and nothing showed up on an MRI or CAT scan. I was put under the care of neurologist Dr Brian Sweeney. Between then and the end of 2007, I was taken to AE eight times by ambulance as a medical emergency. I spent a week in CUH in December after a stronger episode.

After my second episode, I knew what was happening as I had looked up my symptoms on the internet. I was having transient ischaemic attacks (TIAs) or mini-strokes, but I had no diagnosis as nothing was showing up on the scans and, thankfully, there was no residual damage caused to my heart.

I stopped going out in crowds or to matches in case I had an episode. I stayed close to people who knew about my condition. I worried about what would happen if I was on my own and my speech went because I wouldn’t have been able to call an ambulance.

Every time it happened, it was like a stopwatch started ticking in my head. I knew how important it was that I get to hospital as quickly as possible and I knew that if I wasn’t back to normal within 24 hours, I could be in trouble. My episodes were taking longer to pass.

In January 2008, while visiting a family member at Millstreet Hospital, I got my strongest episode yet. I was rushed to CUH where I spent two weeks and was referred to a cardiologist. TIAs were now mentioned for the first time and I was diagnosed with a patent foramen ovale (PFO) in my heart. Babies are born with a normal opening that allows blood to flow between the left and right chambers of the heart. This opening should close naturally soon after birth and when this does not happen, the hole that’s left is called a PFO.

I was put on anti-clotting medication which controlled my condition. Closing the hole through surgery was not an option at this stage, according to my cardiologist, as the medication had things under control.

I had no further attacks until the end of August 2010 when I was on a postal delivery. I spent two weeks in hospital and my right leg was worst affected. I had physio afterwards to get back on my feet and was out of work for a while.

I went back to work in October and thought that first week would never end. I was so tired, I had no energy at all. I was in Macroom shopping when I felt another episode coming on and ended up back in hospital for a week. It was obvious the medication was no longer working at this stage.

I knew there was only one man in the country, Dr Kevin Walsh, a paediatric cardiologist in Dublin who could close the hole. I arranged to have the surgery privately at the Beacon Hospital through the VHI on December 17th last. Dr Walsh implanted a wire mesh device called a PFO occluder into my heart using a catheter. The procedure was a success and I was out of hospital after two nights.

I was put on anti-clotting medication for three months and have had no episodes since the surgery. I am back to work and doing fine at the moment, apart from a slight weakness in my right leg when I’m tired or in cold weather. Before I had the hole closed, I used to be completely breathless after I went for a walk or a cycle. Now, there’s no stopping me.

While I was in hospital, I did some research from my bed and came across the Irish Heart Foundation website, stroke.ie, which I found very helpful. I was very impressed with its FAST (Face, Arms, Speech, Time) campaign, which raises awareness of the signs of stroke and the need to act fast. Stroke can happen to people of all ages, which is why it’s so important for everybody to be aware of the signs and symptoms.

In conversation with Michelle McDonagh

TIA: WHAT IS IT?

Transient ischaemic attack (TIA) is also called "mini-stroke". It has the same signs, but recovery is within 24 hours. However, it could be a warning of a more serious stroke, so it needs to be treated as an emergency.

A stroke is caused by a disturbance in the blood supply to the brain. Rapid diagnosis of TIA allows steps to be taken to reduce the risk of stroke.

The FAST test can help you recognise if someone has had a stroke:

Face – Has their face fallen on one side? Can they smile?

Arms – Can they raise both arms and keep them there?

Speech – Is their speech slurred?

Time – to call 999 if you see any single one of these signs.

For more information, see stroke.ie or irishheart.ie or talk to an Irish Heart Foundation nurse in confidence on the IHF Heart and Stroke Helpline at 1890-432787, Monday to Friday, 10am-5pm.