Of course, as you get older, you start thinking about illness; too many people around me had died suddenly. But I then learned the hard way, through my own experience, just how quickly everything can change.
On the night of January 27–28, 2025, I became extremely dizzy; I couldn’t take a single step without holding onto walls or furniture. On top of that, I felt terribly sick and had to vomit constantly. When this didn’t improve after a while, I called 911 for an ambulance, and that’s when the trouble began.
The two paramedics then decided that I should probably go to the hospital, but asked that I please walk out to the ambulance myself. In 0-degree weather, I shuffled outside wearing only a scarf and was allowed to climb onto the stretcher. Once at the hospital, I told the doctor in the emergency room everything I knew, had an X-ray (of my lungs), and was then taken to the ward. I spent the entire night trying to force up the last of it.
The next morning, I was told they wanted to take me for an MRI. I was treated for a base infection with high-dose intravenous antibiotics.
My requests for an MRI or CT scan were always put off, and I was told a neurologist would come to examine me first. He showed up a few days later and, after a 5-minute examination during which he moved a pen in front of my eyes, told me I had positional damage that could be corrected with some exercises, albeit unpleasant ones.
A week later, I was discharged from the hospital; at that point, I couldn’t walk on my own, and we had to get a wheelchair ourselves just to make it to the exit.
At home, we privately scheduled an MRI appointment, which, fortunately for me, we were able to get within 24 hours. After the MRI, I was transferred by ambulance from the doctor’s office to the nearest hospital with a stroke unit. That night, I had suffered a severe ischemic stroke in the left cerebellum. Of course, nothing could be saved at that point, but at least they took care of me there, including providing the appropriate medication.
After completing rehab, I’m doing well under the circumstances, except that I can no longer do any of the things I used to enjoy. The ignorance and incompetence of the doctors at the first hospital are almost beyond words. The long-term effects are now coordination and balance problems. Even normal housework or small physical tasks that require me to bend down are extremely difficult for me.
I used to be an avid cyclist and loved playing tennis more than anything. All of these things are now a distant memory for me. Perhaps all of this could have been managed a bit better if the doctors had been at least somewhat competent in their jobs. Yes, I know this type of stroke is harder to recognize than the ones you hear about in stories, but with a CT scan right on the first night, they could have helped me better. They would have detected things there and transferred me directly to the appropriate hospital.
I thank the people who believed in me and gave me strength and hope during those first weeks.
THANK YOU!