Brain Damage from a Heart Attack

[taptigers_tap]

My mother had a major heart attack on saturday the 17th of May.  She didn't actually go into full cardiac arrest until she was in a small town emergency room, where they had to shock her to bring her back.  They flighted for life her to Rapid City, SD where she was following commands and trying to communicate.  Sometime that night or early Sunday morning she seems to have lost the ability to function.  The neurologist told us today that he thinks either she had a series of mini strokes or lack of oxygen has caused brain damage.  I believe another ekg (?) will be performed again on Tues 27th.  When you say her name or talk to her, she opens her eyes but isn't there....... Can anyone enlighten me or give me some sort of explanation or anything??  Thanks and I wish our situation on no one.....  

[fluffypurrcat]

Hi, first of all I send my well wishes to you and your mother, I am so sorry for this happening and hopefully she will recover from this with the best of care. It does sound like she has had at least one stroke, a result perhaps from the heart attack and lack of oxygen to her brain. HOw old is your mother, and did she have any pre-existing heart disease that you are aware of? The fact that she was following commands and trying to communicate could mean severa things. Have they done a MRi of Scan of her head to see what brain damage she may have?

I worked with people recovering from brain injuries, ( primarily strokes ) for three years in a well known rehabilitaive program here. ( Don't want to get in trouble saying the name ) and one condition that people recovering from strokes usually suffer from is Aphasia. this is the condition of unable to communicate what they want to say. In their mind, they know what the word is but when they try to say it, it comes out all jumbled. Words, even very common words for everyday items are lost in communication. They know what they want to say, but it is very frustrating because their brains are sort of short circuited, and things are all scrambled. Also they often have facial parlaysis on one side of their face which makes talking more difficult as well as a leg or arm parlaysis.

         It is very possible that your mother had another stroke, ( of unknown size or severity ) after this initial one. I hope you get the help you need in understanding what has happened to your mother with this neurologist, I hope she has not suffered from severe lack of oxygen and has no significent brain damage. She is in the best place right now where she can be taken care of and given the tests and help she needs to recover. It is hard to know what is more severe at this point,both heart disease and strokes have the same culprit to blame many times. It is unfortunate that she looks to have been dealt both at the same time.

I will be thinking positive thoughts for you and your mother between now and the 27th, and I hope you will get some encouraging results from this EKG on the 27th. Why are they waiting till then to do a repeat EKG? God Bless your Mom and you.

                                                                                 fluffypurrcat

[shell313]

My father had a heart attack in Watertown ,ny on the 14th of May..still in hospital..waiting to see if his brain suffered damage.  searching internet frantically for any information to help my family and saw your post.  My heart and prayers are with your family as I know what you are going through.  Hope all goes well with your mother.  My email is ***@**** if you need a sounding board and if I find a sight with good info, I'll forward it to you.