May have to cancel trip

[aussietravellers]

So... a few weeks ago I had a really bad problem with my neck, so bad that for a full week I was unable to do anything, couldn't drive, cook, anything, only lie down or stand up, I couldn't even sit. So I have been seeing a chiropractor for the first time over the last few weeks to help it. It has been getting so much better .

Well on the weekend I had this weird thing where I sort of lost half my sight! I could only really see my part of the right side of my vision, it lasted only about half an hour and vanished as suddenly that it started. Went to the ER at the hospital, the said sounds like a migraine (no headache) so they sent me home with a referral to have an ultrasound of the arteries in my neck and to follow up those results with my GP, just incase it was a mini stroke, which they didn't expect that it was due to my age and it just sounded like a migraine. So off I went with the form. Monday I called and cancelled the chiro appointment as i'd heard sometimes people can have a stroke after a chiro manipulation but that really is just those who have some sort of problem to bring it on, so I told them about the Saturday incident and that whilst it was 99% a migraine, they really can't be 100% sure so until I know what it was then I just don't want to take the risk. They were fine with that.

Called the ultrasound place, they had an appointment at lunchtime yesterday (monday) or Tues, Wed. I took the Mon, thought I'd get it out of the way even though it was going to be nothing as aside from the half hour funny vision problem that one time, there had been nothing else (I didn't consider my neck pain to be related). I go up at lunchtime, have the scan, leave and on my way to school pickup run in and pick them up with the intention of reading the results ( I know we aren't supposed to do that) and maybe see my GP later in the week to just confirm that it was a migraine.

Went back to pick them up on the way to pickup, parked illegally as there were no parks, left my mobile at home which was annoying but I figured I was only just going to pickup then home. I went in and they were taking a while, fluffing around. I asked if they were ready as I'd illegally parked and if not I'd go and move my car. They said, no leave your car. Then after what seemed like forever somebody came over and said, you need to go around to the ER. I said, no they just gave the request for the tests and I have to follow up with my GP. They said, you need to go around to the ER immediately they are expecting you. So I said, well I don't really understand, but I'm going to have to move my car. They said, leave your car. So I looked out and the car behind me had moved, so I just reversed into a legal parking spot and got out and went into the ER door next door to radiology. I walked in and two DR's came straight to me as I walked in the door and said are you "aussietravellers" I said, I am indeed. They said we have been trying to call you. I said oh i left my phone at home earlier today. I was taken to a room where they told me that I have a large tear in the artery in my neck and there were quite a few blood clots around that. I was not going anywhere I have whats called Vertebral Artery Dissection, which I had never heard of, but you can get if from something as little as sneezing!!!!!!

I was just in shock. I just asked for a phone, I needed to call family and friends to get my son, to come to me as I was really freaking, to cancel the afternoon activities my son had. I was then sent for an MRA which was a nightmare, they had to give me two valium (which I had never had before) as I couldn't cope with the confined little space of the thing that they screw in place over your head.

So spent the night in hospital, am now on blood thinners, have seen the neurologist today, told him that I have a trip to the US in three months (priorities ). Looks like I have had it for a few weeks, which is what my sore neck was all about. He said they will MRA again the week before I go but as my neck has quite a number of blood clots hanging out there, if they are still there I will not be able to fly, if one decided to go for a little travel I could have a stroke.

There is a risk of stroke now anyway and it looks like what I had on the weekend was a mini stroke (I don't have any damage, still just normal me well as normal as I can be).

So I aside from this very scary thing going on inside my neck at the moment, having no idea how long it will take to repair and now not knowing if we will be able to go on our trip.

Anyway that's my vent for the night

 

[PrincessInOz]

AussieTravellers -

You have been incredibly lucky with this!!

My uncle had the same thing about 15 years ago; except he didn't go check it out. One of his clots moved and he ended up with a stroke, in hospital and had 4 operations to the back of his head.

Because of the stroke, he lost some of his fine motor skills on the left hand side and suffered some brain damage.

Thankfully, he's still with us and through practising Qi Gong over the years, he's gained back some of his motor skills on the left hand side.

The main thing is to get better, get the clots dissolved and back to "normal" again. You can re-schedule or plan another trip later.

and a speedy recovery.

 

[Kangarucci]

OMG what a shock for you.

On a positive note, it was discovered and something is being done.

All the very best for your recovery.

 

[queenie82]

OMG!!! Wow..

Just look after yourself and give yourself all the recovery time you need.
The trip is a wonderful thing to have on the horizon as a positive motivator to get better. But if it gets called off then just do what they say.

Saying a prayer for you to get better ASAP!

 

[Ms. Shuttergirl]

Oh no, what an ordeal. It must have been quite frightening when the doctors came towards you and gave you that information. It's scary how quickly life can change.

Sounds like you have gotten this early and it should all work out but I will have my fingers crossed for your trip.

Chin up...

 

[shushh]

Oh no! That must have been such a difficult day. I am glad that you seem to have got through it ok.

I know what it feels like to suddenly be faced with the prospect of not being able to go on the holiday that you've seemingly taken forever to plan (volcanic ash). Its awful. But it'll make the trip that you do get to go on all that much sweeter!

Here's to a speedy and uneventful recovery!

 

[lovintheland]

Aussietravellers sending prayers and hugs your way
I'm sure you will be ok. Just remember, "When you wish upon a star......"

 

[Willow25]

I am so sorry to hear about that, it must have been really scary!! I am thinking of you and hoping you get better soon.

 

[heidispidi]

I'm so sorry to be reading this, aussietravellers. I am glad this has been diagnosed, and, as unexpected as it obviously has been, it is a great thing that it has been piced up now. As others have said before me, having this trip to look forward to should be beneficial for you, and I really, really hope that all is well between now and when you have the scan before your trip. Take care ((hugs))

 

[OzCath]

Sorry to hear about this. Lots of positive thoughts! We are thinking of you.

 

[ehsmum]

Wow, what a scare! I'm so glad that the mini-stroke didn't do any damage and that you took the earliest possible u/s appt. I'm sorry that your trip might have to be put on hold, but your health is the most important thing. I hope your neck heals soon.

 

[kwonyong]

I hope you get better soon.

 

[glara]

Oh my goodness, what a scare! Hope that you make a speedy recovery and that if you must postpone your trip, that it won't be too long before you can reschedule.

 

[Jade+3]

How scary for you. I hope you get better soon.

 

[Travel Mum]

So sorry to hear about this and I do hope you are on the fast track to recovery very soon

 

[cola]

Sorry to hear of that. Hopes and prayers for a speedy recovery.

If you do decide to go ahead with the trip, if it's any consolation, there are others before you that have travelled, not quite against doctors orders, but puzzled doctor when plans weren't changed once diagnosed. I did one trip 4 weeks after retinal surgery for a detached retina - that had the complication of not being able to fly without approval (they fill your eyeball up with gas for the surgery and then it slowly gets replaced with normal eyeball jelly, usually takes 4-6 weeks, if you fly with gas in eyeball it can pop due to pressure changes) My eyeball jelly filled up quite well, but the doctor wasn't exactly thrilled I was travelling so soon, luckily it wasn't theme park related so no roller coasters to worry about.
Other trip I had major surgery on carotid artery a month before US trip that did include Disneyland, DisneyWorld, Universal Florida (already done Universal LA), still went on any coasters I wanted, include Hulk and Duelling Dragons.

So if you do still go, you can say there was someone else just as silly If you do cancel, you're stronger than me I couldn't cancel

 

[aussietravellers]

Thank you all so much for your replies.

This has been a very big shock, I'm still in shock and it's very scary. Upon doing some reading on google (don't you love google ) It seems that I am just so lucky to have this found the way I did. It seems that the main way that this is found is after a major stroke and this is the main cause of stroke in young people.

I don't know how the tear occured and may never know, I mean it can happen from just sneezing! You can get it from going to the chiropractor, sneezing it's bizarre, its not from doing high risk things (like smoking etc), I am an otherwise healthy person, don't smoke, don't drink a lot, am average weight, it can happen to anyone at any time and I had never heard of it!

Anyway the Neurologist didn't rule out travel, he said to me yesterday, "how long do we have before this trip" I said 3 months one week and he didn't say oh no way or no chance of that, so that's a good sign, I'm hoping it will heal quickly. So they will do another MRA in three months to see how the tear and the surrounding pocket of blood and clots that has formed from the tear has healed. I would really rather not be flying with a neck full of blood clots.

But with the only treatment being blood thinners I guess it is just a matter of taking things easy so as not to tear it further and wait for it to heal.

I really do appreciate all of my Disboards support

 

[zaccy]

So sorry to read what has happened to you - but on the positive side its good that this got found sooner rather than latter.

Heres hoping you will not have to change your plans.

 

[aussiegirls]

Oh dear aussietravellers. I am very glad to hear that they caught this before it got too bad.

You know, if you end up having to cancel the trip just think of it as having some extended planning time - we all know how much us DIS peeps love planning Anyway, look after yourself and take as much time as you need to heal because you need to be around for all your future Disney trips

Sending prayers

xxx

 

[queenie82]

I can imagine you are still in shock...but it is just so lucky you found out in time. It is such a blessing that if these bad things happen you get in early.
Assuming you do go and should require medical attention I can vouch for Celebration Hospital near WDW and the Paramedics
When I required their services they were all wonderful.
The bill for the 9 hours in the ER was terrifying but all covered by Travel insurance so that was all good

Take Care