Hi Everyone,

During the past holiday season, I received the gift of recovery. ❤️

I had a form of a stroke called a TIA.

A transient ischemic attack (TIA), also known as a "mini-stroke", is a brief period of time when blood flow to the brain is blocked, causing stroke-like symptoms. TIAs are caused by a variety of things, including blood clots, narrowed arteries, or air bubbles.

Symptoms of a TIA include:

• Weakness or numbness in the face, arm, or leg, especially on one side of the body

• Difficulty seeing in one or both eyes, or double vision

• Problems with walking, dizziness

• Confusion

• Difficulty talking or understanding speech

• Loss of balance and coordination

I didn't have every symptom listed above. My challenges were with vision initially, then a difficulty pronouncing certain words.

I was paired with a great nurse practitioner in the ER who was able to diagnose what was going on. During that encounter, I was improving my speech and vision during our conversation which lasted almost 30 minutes.

There are a series of tests that she suggested I take, including a CT scan to see what happened. Now they're able to see which areas were affected. She felt confident in discharging me about 90 minutes later after taking my vital signs again and speaking with me more, provided that I promise to return to take the tests

I applied for the Healthcare Marketplace insurance in time, but it isn't confirmed to begin until January. As everyone knows here, the US is not the best place for acquiring medical insurance. Taking tests like the ones suggested are in the thousands of dollars. On top of my living expenses, I simply can't afford to absorb a bill like this—even though my quality of life depends on it.

Thank you for reading all of this. I never want to taint your holiday seasons, yet close friends have urged me to do this. I didn't say this much on social media because I know how algorithms work. I don't want to get reminded by neurological center ads two months from now on my feeds. Those of you who are seeing this deserve to know what's going on.

Thanks for helping me in advance. I'm very lucky to communicate with you now, and to have friends and family like yourselves not only in times like this, but also in the great moments too. ❤️

Love,

Greg