My First Admission

It was actually a normal work day like any other day. I woke up remembering that I had woken up earlier and felt as though my right arm was not responding to how it is supposed to but went right back to sleep. When I went off to get myself a cup of coffee, I almost dropped my cup and thought that my arm was sort of possessed. Ignored it and proceeded to get myself to work.

While at work, I noticed that my right arm is still not cooperating like it should and asked my close colleague if this was normal. It is only when I started to type gibberish in my coding (I'm a web programmer) that got me a little bit concerned. So my colleague insisted that I go to the GP and get it checked.

During my queue at the GP's, I asked my uncle who is a practising Ob&Gyn if the symptoms are anything to be of any concern. He first said that maybe I played a little too much golf. I laughed at first until he realised that I am also Hypertensive and it could be a symptom of a stroke.

My GP decided that the weakness in my right arm could be the result of a stroke and insisted that I went to the Emergency at Tan Tock Seng Hospital.

At the hospital, I was put through a MRI Stroke protocol and was scheduled for an X-Ray but a bleed was found on the MRI and the X-Ray was cancelled. This was when I was admitted and was put through a series of tests.

It took them awhile to do my tests as I had very fine veins and they had tried 9 times to place in IV in my arm for the contrast.

After the initial MRI, a CT Angio and a 4VA Angiogram, it was finally diagnosed as a Micro AVM on my Left Parietal Lobe. Really tiny less than 1cm. Couldn't believe something so tiny could cause so much damage.

Treatment offered:
- Gamma Knife Surgery (If it is shown on MRI)
- Craniotomy

They asked me to come back after 3 months of recovery to do another Angiogram should I decide to opt for surgery. They also scheduled another MRI and referred me to a Radio Surgeon at SGH should I am eligible for Gamma Knife.

After some Operational Therapy, I manage to regain my right arm control and was discharged 6 days later.

To be continued... ;)