Just because something is not hurting you, it doesn't mean it's not affecting you.
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Laurieton's John Simon knew something was wrong but couldn't quite put his finger on what was happening.
And as he now admits, he should have called an ambulance after suffering a transient ischemic attack - a mini stroke - in December 2019.
The 76-year-old was playing his regular round of golf at the Kew Golf Club course on December 5 when he reached the sixth hole.
"I knew something was not quite right but I kept on playing," he said.
"By the eighth hole I realised I was really dragging my right leg along, so I walked off the course to my car.
"I thought it may have been heat related and that I wasn't hydrated enough.
"So I put the clubs in the car and drove home - and that was not the right thing to do," he said.
At home, Mr Simon was unsteady on his feet, slurring his speech and walking into the right side of doors. His left side TIA was affecting his right hand side.
Still not quite convinced something was medically wrong, John sat down and completed a cryptic crossword. While he could get the clues out there was a problem.
I couldn't understand anything that I had written.
- John Simon
"I couldn't understand anything that I had written," he said.
"I looked at what I'd written and thought 'God, that's terrible'. That's when I knew I needed some medical help."
Mr Simon attended his medical clinic where he was told he'd suffered the TIA. He was transported by ambulance to Port Macquarie Base Hospital.
Several scans - and 27 hours later - it was confirmed he'd suffered a milder form of stroke - the TIA.
He stopped driving a motor vehicle for the mandatory two weeks until he was medically cleared to resume driving.
After attending the stroke clinic he was told recovery could take up to three months with the possibility of residual health issues.
Mr Simon's recovery adds to the latest Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) figures showing more Australians are now surviving stroke.
The AIHW report on cardiovascular disease shows a substantial decline in the death rate from stroke since 1981, with 30 percent fewer people losing their life to the disease (from around 12,000 to 8400 annually) despite the fact that the population has almost doubled in that time.
Stroke Foundation Clinical Council Chair Professor Bruce Campbell said the new data were encouraging and reflected advances in stroke diagnosis, treatment and care in recent decades.
"Australia has led the way in some of the most recent advancements, particularly improvements to emergency stroke treatments,'' Prof Campbell said.
"The introduction of dedicated stroke units, increased availability of clot dissolving drugs and implementation of endovascular thrombectomy, where a clot is removed from the brain, all reduce disability after stroke.
"With the advent of telemedicine for stroke, more Australians, including those in regional and rural areas, are accessing stroke treatment quickly leading to improved outcomes."
Stroke Foundation Chief Executive Officer Sharon McGowan said while it is incredibly positive to see a downward trend in incidence and death from stroke, the overall numbers were still confronting.
"In 2018, almost 387,000 Australians had experienced a stroke at some time in their lives - 25 percent of those were under the age of 65," Ms McGowan said.
Mr Simon says he is now more aware of his health condition and is fortunate his strength returned soon after his episode.
I always thought I was fit for my age but I've now bought an electric golf cart and my two-fingered typing has even improved
- John Simon
"I always thought I was fit for my age but I've now bought an electric golf cart and my two-fingered typing has even improved," he said.
"What I have now noticed is that it is really important that people become aware, and can recognise, the symptoms of a stroke.
"In my case I was aware that something was wrong but you really need someone looking at you to identify those subtle changes in your facial expressions, walking ability.
"If in doubt, use the FAST method - face, arms, speech and time," he said.
"In retrospect I should have called an ambulance when I walked off the course. But I just didn't realise I was having a stroke."
Mr Simon is taking medication as a risk reduction management.
As a former member of the Victorian police force, Mr Simon was involved in the search for the then-missing Australian prime minister Harold Holt.
He is available to talk to groups about his experience.
Stroke statistics
- Around 386,900 Australians (1.3 percent of the population) had experienced a stroke at some time in their lives.
- Stroke prevalence is higher in males (1.6 percent) than females (1.1 per cent).
- Stroke was ranked ninth in the leading diseases causing burden.
- In 2018, stroke was the underlying cause in over 8400 deaths (5 per cent of all deaths).
National Stroke Week is from August 31 until September 6.
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