"My husband suffered a Stroke"

Just after breakfast, my husband suffered a stroke sitting in front of me at breakfast, He had been in QEUH with heart failure and  had been recovering at home, for the past four weeks, I immediately phoned an ambulance, which arrived in double quick time. after examination we were on our way to Hairmyres Hospital. I actually thought I was losing my husband of almost 60yrs. I was terrified.

On the way the two female medics were brilliant with my husband and I was not left out the loop at all. I had been able to phone our son who was following us to East Kilbride. The next time I saw my Husband he had had a scan and it confirmed he had a blood clot on the left side of his brain. we were then ushered into a room where he was lying on a bed, paralysed down the one side and not able to talk. We were then video linked to a consultant who told us about this drug Thrombolysis. The staff had determined that he was a candidate for this block-busting drug, it clears out the arteries and any debris that has caused the stroke, it took an hour to go through his body, after he gave his permission to take it.

I remember some names who were in attendance that morning. I think it was Elaine & Chris, and I'm sorry if I did not get more of your names,  He was taken to ward 7 and received the best treatment there was available. The same stroke nurses were on the ward with us. By six o'clock that evening he started to talk.He got another scan the next day and it was clear. I and my family were treated with respect, and were told every little detail about his condition.

He is now into his 4th week of recovery, with the help of a stroke nurse and physiotherapists. on home visits.I hear people complaining about the food in the hospital, but when we were faced with this Stroke which used to be debilitating, now with this wonder drug and the medics who administer it, the food takes a small place in our priorities.. A HUGE thank you to Ward 7 in Hairmyres for saving my husband's life, and giving him back to me!!