Unplanned Air Lift

Well, we were moving into the new house, we went to our closing at the Bank on Friday and took ownership of our House, we then moved some more items in, spent the first night in our 'Home" and were excited and busy !

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Got up Saturday and worked around the house, I started to get sick to my stomach, unsteady on my feet and was not even able to sit, we went to the Emergency Room,  Wife and I waited while Dr. did some tests, made some phone calls and said they were sending me to the Stroke Center in Syracuse to Crouse Hospital.

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They said I was going right away and next thing I knew I was in an ambulance and with Red Lights and Siren I was transported to a Carthage Fire Department Helipad and loaded into a lifenet Helicopter and off we went to Syracuse.

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This was my Lifenet Copter leaving Carthage Fire Department Landing Zone and heading to Syracuse, drive time is about 1 hour by car,  The Pilot was a Retired State Trooper, 1 crewman was from Dexter and the other from Fort Drum, Great Bunch, I was placed in Headphones and a Mic to enable me to talk,  The smell of the Fuel fumes, the noise of the rotating blades and shaking of the Copter brought back some Memories of Navy Days a long time ago! The flight was a typical bumpy Helicopter flight, I layed flat on a stretcher with feet and legs beside lone pilot and head and torso in back with 2 crewmen, I made it to Syracuse from Carthage in 20+ minutes, landed on roof of Crouse Hospital, Humped down to Emergency Room by a Doctor, and 2 Helicopter Crewmen who turned me over to Crouse ER Doctor Wing.

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I was treated in the ER and sent to Cat Scan of the Brain and a Ultra sound and sent to a huge ER treatment room, the room was largest ER room I had been in in Syracuse.  Shortly My Honey arrived at Hospital and was escorted to the ER.     They then drew more blood,  injected me with Pain Killers and sent me to a room on the 6th floor Stroke Unit !  The rooms are double bed rooms and I shared my room with another Stroke Victim who had a prior stroke a few years back but was again having issues with Balance which I found out is common !

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I spent my time going thru MRI's,  Cat Scans, Blood Tests, IV's and Visits by Neurology Doctors and Cardiac Doctors.

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I was kept overnight and My Honey stayed in the room with me and slept in the Recliner by my bed ! 

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The next Morning was given Tracers in my Blood and my Prior Surgeries were checked and my Caratoid Artery by pass.

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I was tested again and I was to be given an MRI of the Head and also the lower Back which was done and I was given Valium *(10mg) for pain!

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It appears I had to stay another night and I went back to my room and had a new roommate !   He was an older man but not too bad.

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It was a busy night with shots of Hepburn in the stomach every 6 hours, pills, pain killers and stats every 4 hours.

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Was awake at 6AM with some shots in the Stomach of Lovenox, some checks of the Heart and Lungs.

It was found I have some Nerve Damage in the Back and left side, and left and right arms and neck, I have to go to PT for 6 weeks of Therapy and back to Crouse in 6 weeks for recheck and evaluation,  so, they sent me home that afternoon !

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This smile is because I am going home after a 2 1/2 day stay in Hospital.  The ride home was rough as the Pain Meds wore off 1/2 way home.

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It was nice to be back in our "New Home" !!!!

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I am now waiting for my schedule and script to send me to PT for Rehab !     Lucky so far it was not worse !

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Sad, lot of Veterans in Crouse, no room at the VA !!!!!!

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Don't forget, Remember our Vets !