Journal entry by Joanne Negstad — May 12, 2018
It was an ordinary Mother's Day and it was an extraordinary Mother's Day. As was our custom, we went to church in the morning. Mid-afternoon we went to Lisa's, where the remainder of the family joined us for a cook-out. As the 'locals' in the paper would have it "A good time was had by all." Or, so we thought.
Shortly after arriving home I answered the phone when Lisa called. She asked "Is Mom alright?" "Well, I think so, why do you ask?" was my reply. Lisa and Lars had talked and they thought Joanne had been spacey...not as engaged as usual. I, too, thought she'd been a bit quiet. "I'll talk to her and call you back" I told Lisa.
Going to Joanne, I asked how she felt about the afternoon. That's when things got interesting. She didn't remember any of it, even with my prompting. Showing no symptoms of a stroke; weakness on one side, droopy mouth, slurred speech, I still thought "stroke."
Off we went to the emergency room at the University of Minnesota Hospital. Being it was a major hospital a neurologist was available. Lisa and Lars arrived and joined us before the neurologist came. Joanne was taken for a brain scan and then brought back to the room. Soon after that the neurologist arrived.
He said there was evidence of her previous small strokes but nothing fresh. Then he began to question her. He said "Joanne what special day is this?" Joanne thought hard for a moment, brightened and then said "It's the sixth Sunday of Easter." She was always the 'church lady', and remembered that from the morning service. The neurologist was a bit taken back and then pressed on to see if she knew it was Mother's Day...she didn't.
His diagnosis was temporary global amnesia (TGA). It typically lasts ten hours, almost never happens again, and leaves no damage. Joanne's TGA lasted from noon and about 10:00 p.m. in the emergency room she came out of it. She had no memory of anything between noon and 10:00 p.m.
This Mother's Day, her 'absence is going to be very present'.
Blessings,
al
Shortly after arriving home I answered the phone when Lisa called. She asked "Is Mom alright?" "Well, I think so, why do you ask?" was my reply. Lisa and Lars had talked and they thought Joanne had been spacey...not as engaged as usual. I, too, thought she'd been a bit quiet. "I'll talk to her and call you back" I told Lisa.
Going to Joanne, I asked how she felt about the afternoon. That's when things got interesting. She didn't remember any of it, even with my prompting. Showing no symptoms of a stroke; weakness on one side, droopy mouth, slurred speech, I still thought "stroke."
Off we went to the emergency room at the University of Minnesota Hospital. Being it was a major hospital a neurologist was available. Lisa and Lars arrived and joined us before the neurologist came. Joanne was taken for a brain scan and then brought back to the room. Soon after that the neurologist arrived.
He said there was evidence of her previous small strokes but nothing fresh. Then he began to question her. He said "Joanne what special day is this?" Joanne thought hard for a moment, brightened and then said "It's the sixth Sunday of Easter." She was always the 'church lady', and remembered that from the morning service. The neurologist was a bit taken back and then pressed on to see if she knew it was Mother's Day...she didn't.
His diagnosis was temporary global amnesia (TGA). It typically lasts ten hours, almost never happens again, and leaves no damage. Joanne's TGA lasted from noon and about 10:00 p.m. in the emergency room she came out of it. She had no memory of anything between noon and 10:00 p.m.
This Mother's Day, her 'absence is going to be very present'.
Blessings,
al
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