Two truths and a lie

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I really hope it's 3, for your own safety.

You’re right. People breakdance on the train to make money. They are sort of irritating.

One wrong move: I get kicked in the face.

During my stroke:

1. I partook of involuntary breakdancing on my bedroom floor

2. I had an unrelenting migraine in the back of my head

3. I heard a deafening, underwater helicopter in my right ear

4. I couldn't speak, but tried hopelessly to say "brush"

4. You tried to say something else.

2 is my lie. My stroke was in the back, left side of my head (my cerebellum) but I didn't have a headache at all. In fact, I remarked just an hour prior that I felt wonderful, and couldn't remember feeling so well.

1, 3 and 4 are true.
Of course I didn't really breakdance, but I did drop to the floor. I couldn't coordinate my limbs to get up and I kept spinning in a circle while falling over. My left arm and leg were flailing out of control.

The episode started with a sudden, deafening underwater helicopter noise in my right ear (which doctors can't explain, but speculate could have been a blood pressure surge). I already had tinnitus but this was much, much worse. It was louder than a movie theatre.

I knew I was going in an ambulance and I was trying to say "brush" so that I could brush my hair, but I couldn't speak other than gibberish and laughter (a response to brain damage).

Did you get paralysis in your right side, too?

Cerebellums affect the same side of the body as the lesion (unlike other types of stroke that are known to affect the opposite side of the body). My lesion was (is) on the left side so my left arm and leg were flailing and waving in all directions, out of control. They weren't in a state of paralysis, rather they moved too much and without my conscious control.

The loud noise was in my right ear, which is admittedly odd. You would think the noise would be on my left side, since that's where I had a the (large) blood clot. Maybe the sound was on both sides but my left ear went dead? I wasn't aware of that, I just remember the panic and dread at thinking the noise in my right ear would never stop. It was so loud it was like a steel security door being opened with a piercing siren sound.

I tried to say "brush" to no avail. My thoughts were coherent and I knew what I wanted to say, but couldn't say it, which was extremely confusing and frightening. I didn't black out. I laughed like I was drunk because of an autonomic reaction being triggered (pseudo-bulbar affect), but in my logical mind I was terrified.

In recovery my left arm and leg were weak, especially my left knee. I didn't have paralysis but it was hard to keep balance with two weak limbs on one side. Speech came back relatively easily but I did grope for words and I slurred.

I had PT OT Vestibular Rehab (balance) and SLP each three times a week for six months, and then continued less frequently throughout the following year.

This on top of the trauma therapy i was already taking, and undiagnosed autism.

What a life I lead.

But your life is fulfilling in some ways, too.

All this Bronte stuff must create a semi-permanent glow.

And you have the love of your furry friends.

And the potential for much more as you progress in therapy.

Is it the second one?

No lies there. Just thoughts.

1. There are people on the subway who really don't like a person who meows.

2. I saw a homeless person having a bad encounter with a police officer today.

3. There are days when I see no homeless persons on the subway all day.

Sadly, 3.

Yep....On average, I see at least three homeless people in one car of the subway every day. Probably like 20-30 or more per day in general.

1. I went to Mexico, but my travel partner was passed-out drunk all the time and acting terribly. I took my bags, caught a ferry and went to Cozumel by myself. I stayed there until the return flight. It was fun in Cozumel because they had horse and carriage rides.

2. When I went to Argentina I was asked to stay and write for the local press, despite my lack of fluency in Spanish. They said my ideas were so clear and profound that someone could translate my work.

3. I love Cape Cod, Nausset Beach and Martha's Vineyard, but had a very bad experience at Cape Cod one night. Regardless, I'd like to go back. There's a very nice area called Provincetown with whale watching and nice cafés.

#1. I've been to Cozumel. It has some nice aspects----I don't recall horse-and-carriage rides being a prominent part of the Cozumel experience.

My wife, initially, was scared of the place because of the police presence, and the fact that English wasn't the main spoken language. She got a little used to it, though, because she enjoyed the discount stores.

1 is true. There were white carriages with white horses. I saw the photos last week and remembered how much I liked that part of my trip.

2 is my lie. My cousin is a journalist in Argentina but she's leaving because the government is angry with her liberal agenda. She's worried for her safety.

3 is true. I loved Cape Cod. Highly recommended.

That's too bad. Buenos Aires seems to be the "Paris of South America."

It sucks when freedom of expression is frowned upon. We have the potential for this under Donald Trump, frankly.

At one time, in most of the decent-sized cities of South America, there was a strong "Bohemian" presence---and literary cafes like those in Paris.