Stroke Survivor: My Three New Years (Revisited)
This is an update to the note I first wrote about two years ago. My “Three New Years” all occur in January. They are the traditional New Year, my birthday, and my stroke anniversary, a.k.a. strokeversary or re-birthday - on the first, sixth and twentieth respectively.
1) On
the first day of the year on the modern day Gregorian calendar, I joined
billions around the world in that ritual of shedding the old, while welcoming
the new. As usual, I had many blessings to count - including life and limb;
health and wellness. I had a roof over my head, nourishment, access to many
luxuries and a job to help provide those things. More than most, I enjoy the love
of family and the support of friends. This year, I also welcomed the
opportunity for other new beginnings as my fourth resolution.
2) On
January 6th, I celebrated my second New Year. Being so close to the more
popular New Year, it's always offered me an opportunity to re-calibrate the
commitments I made five days earlier. This also marked the seventeenth
anniversary of my dear mother's calling to be with the Lord. It offered yet
another opportunity to reflect upon the values she instilled upon her seven sons,
and the example she set by her faith, words and deeds. As I remember the eulogy
I gave at her funeral in 1999, some of the lasting memories I recall were that
of her selflessness in serving those who were less fortunate than her. She was
a devoted member of the St. Piran's Church Choir, served her country on a major
financial services board, regularly visited prisons, helped beleaguered women
and children, helped countless relatives, housegirls and houseboys (household
help) attend school and establish meaningful careers, volunteered with the Red
Cross, serving as Plateau State Chair, chaperoned many a young bride through
the protocols of her wedding day, child birth and child-rearing, all the while
regularly giving to the needy - Christian and Moslem alike. She was absolutely
the best mother in the world.
3) On
this evening four years ago, I suffered a cerebrovascular accident (CVA), a.k.a
"Stroke" after arriving home from work. The official cause? It took a
while at Norwood Hospital following an X-Ray, CT-Scan, MRI, and finally a
transesophageal echocardiogram (TEE) on the second day. The TEE confirmed a
Patent Foramen Ovale (PFO), also known as a hole in the heart as the cause.
We’re all born with one, but it closes naturally in about 90% of the population
(read more from my note “We Are the 10%” here: https://www.facebook.com/notes/musa...). My
PFO remained open, and thus allowed a blood clot to travel to my brain,
bypassing the lungs and causing a clot in a part of my brain called Corona
Radiata. My dad, a.k.a. Dada suffered a similar fate in March 1989, but sadly,
did not make it. This is why when I took a nap after experiencing stroke
symptoms that I hadn't recognized, I believe HE woke me up and guided me to
call 911 from my home phone (enabling paramedics to immediately ascertain my
address without me having to talk much). For this reason, I consider myself as
having received a new lease on life on January 20th, 2012. I've chronicled my
journey towards recovery on these Facebook spaces, and appreciate all the words
of encouragement and offers of support from all of you as you’ve tolerated all
my posts and updates. This year in particular, I want to continue to bust the
myth of the Two-Year Plateau when it comes to Stroke recovery. It refers to the
notion that one gains as much movement and function in two years, as one is
going to get, and then one hits a plateau. Nothing tangible supposedly comes
after this. This proud stroke survivor and son of Plateau State, Nigeria says
“No Can Do!” to that, and Amen to God’s miracles in my life that have seen me
through one adversity after another, given me the will to live and love, and
enabled me to spread the word and hopefully helping others along the way.
One of
my New Year’s resolutions is to help others (improved health and wellness,
better organization and embracing new beginnings are the others). As for the
first, I’m blessed to be in a position to volunteer at Spaulding Rehabilitation
Hospital in Boston as a Peer Visitor, gaining immense joy from being able to
regularly visit with and talk to patients who are also stroke survivors and
their families. The hospital president recently told me how valuable it is for
stroke patients to obtain validation from seeing us, about the possibilities of
recovery as they embrace Spaulding’s motto: “Find Your Strength.” I’ll continue
to sound the clarion call for health, wellness and awareness of stroke and
heart disease, and hope you’ll indulge me while I do. Believe me, your likes,
words of encouragement and feedback have all been valuable, and they help drive
me, especially on those down days that inevitably come from time to time. Know
that sometimes, FB provides the only medium of interaction I have with others.
Bless you for reading thus far, and thank you for your time.
