@amzi So sorry to hear about this. I hope that your recovery is going well so far. @Kehaulani I've been on most of these forums for a few years now, and was unaware of your situation until I read one of your posts recently. I 2nd @GeorgeB 's comment.
I actually had a minor stroke, or TIA back in March. It was actually a couple of days after Luke Perry passed away, and strangely enough, that probably saved my life. I was listening to NPR, and they were talking about how to recognize a stroke, which must have sank in, because I recognized the symptoms.
I was lucky to be at home when it happened. I had a bad cold, and stayed on the couch downstairs as to not get my wife sick. I overslept, and was late for work. When I tried to call them to say I'd be late, I couldn't talk. I hung up. Cleared my throat, blew my nose, and called back a few minutes later. Couldn't talk. I went upstairs to use the bathroom, and when I brushed my teeth, I couldn't spit the toothpaste out normally. The left side of my face was partially numb.
I walked into the bedroom, and woke my wife up. She thought I was joking around making noises, but she called 911. I was able to talk a bit in the ambulance about halfway to the ER. FYI, Afrin Nasal Spray and Tylenol cold medicine contain Oxymetazoline, which is a vaso-constrictor. I took them both the night before. I had been having bad headaches for almost a month while I had been using the nose spray, and thought it was just sinus pressure. Anyway...
I won't say that I'm fine now. If you don't know me, you wouldn't notice, but my speech is sluggish, and I sometimes struggle to find words, or just get stuck. My right hand is affected. A month ago, I couldn't type. The first week or so, I couldn't keep my fingers on the valves of my horn. I was off for a week and a half afterwards, and was determined to be able to play. I didn't care much about the typing. My embouchure is different now, as I rely a bit more on the muscles on the right side of my face now. I switched to a bigger rim diameter, as a 3C just didn't work anymore. (I told my doctors that I played the trumpet, and none of them specifically said not to play. I didn't ask them specifically, as I didn't want to hear the answer if it was no.)
What I've learned as a stroke newbie, is that if I'm tired, or under stress, my symptoms get much worse. When I get tired, I am completely wiped out, unlike anything I've felt before. I won't go as far as to say I get confused now, but my thought process is different now. My train of thought jumps the tracks frequently now. I went for physical, occupational, and speech therapy, and they all pretty much told me that I'm fine. I know that I'm not 100%, but like I said, they didn't know me, so they didn't really notice the difference.
I still have a few follow up appointments, and another MRI. I just had a cardio stress test last week, and was hooked up to a heart monitor for a month. (My chest hair is slowly growing back, but at least it's not itchy anymore.)
I'm doing my best to eat better, get exercise, and manage my stress (Mostly out of my control.)
Some days are frustrating, not just with playing, but with just everyday tasks. Other days are pretty good, and I need to remind myself not to push it too hard.
They say some things will come back, but I tend to look at it as needing to learn a new way to do certain things, which includes playing the trumpet. So far, it's my best occupational therapy. I'll be 50 next month, and my big present is my Martin Committee (Charlie Melk has it at the moment.) I'll be damned if I can't play it.
Be patient. Try not to get frustrated. Most importantly, take care of yourself.
