Reader's Digest

July• 2018 | 117

revealed that I’d had an ischaemic

stroke – an obstruction in a blood ves-

sel – on the left side of my brain caus-

ing paralysis of my right extremities.

“Whatcausedit?”Iasked.

“We don’t know. I’d guess hyper-

tension. Your blood pressure was very

high. But you have other conditions

that could have been contributing

factors.”

Istartedtoreplayfeelingsofguilt.

Risk factors for stroke include high

bloodpressurediabeteshighcho-

lesterol sleep apnoea and being

overweight. I qualiied on all fronts.

Ihadindulgedahostofbadhabitsfor

far too long.

“hegoodnews”thedoctorsaid

“is that a bed has become available

I could hear the strain in her voice.
Her face so young became a map of
apprehension.
“I don’t know. I think they’ve given
me a muscle relaxant but it’s not
working.” Without warning I started
to cry – as if something within me had
suddenly broken down or a spring
that held things together had sprung.
I lost control and no matter how hard
I tried I couldn’t stop the tears.

he Swallow Test

Shortly after Pat returned from her
walk a rehabilitation doctor appeared
at the end of my bed. At irst he told
me they thought my stroke was fairly
mild. Nothing had showed up on
the CT scan. But a second scan had