Tim Johnson WIll Be OK Says DU Resident Stroke Expert

[Dems Will Win]

Me. That's one of my skills is dealing with stroke and speech loss.

Tim Johnson had a minor stroke, probably a TIA they won't even be able to find on a scan. Our majority will be fine.

But he oughta lay off the South Dakota BEEF for a while...

NOW IF THAT DON'T PUT THE FEAR OF GOD IN YA!

If this was serious, Johnson would be in a coma right now.

[originalpckelly]

1. Thanks Dems Will Win...

good to have an expert in this area! :hi:

[Dems Will Win]

2. 21 years...

It's Robert Byrd I worry over. Which party is the WV Gov?

[TahitiNut]

Joe Manchin, Democrat

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Manchin

[DemBones DemBones]

11. Don't know, but

Byrd is a tough old bird! I'm sure there are senators half his age who couldn't handle the long filibusters he's done in recent years.

[Jack Rabbit]

79. He'll also soon be 90

.

[napi21]

3. I'm still feeling VERY GUILTY for thinking of the Senate majority

instead of Tim's health when I first heard this. I really do wish him well. Shame on ME for thinking politics first. I'm sorry.

[karlrschneider]

4. Don't apologize. Anybody who says it didn't cross their mind is lying.

Glad he seems to be essentially okay. ;-)

[Morgana LaFey]

64. Well, the way I heard about it was a brutal tease by Brian Williams

on MSBNC tying the two together: "Join us tonight to discuss why the apparent stroke by one member of the senate has some people in Washington talking about another change of power."

Or some such. No way I COULDN'T immediately start worrying about our Senate majority.

[lumberjack_jeff]

82. I'm glad he's okay, and it's a reasonable concern.

The stakes for us, and for generations yet to come, are very high.

[Lone_Star_Dem]

5. It's natural for you to feel that way

While he's a person, you don't know him personally. Yet, if he had to step down and the balance of the Senate were tipped back the other way it would effect millions of people who don't know him.

Don't be so hard on yourself. You still had the better interest of millions in your heart.

[FairVotes4all]

18. I'm just glad that I thought of him before our Senate majority.

But i've met him before, he is such a nice man, a complete 180* from our other senator, who is the biggest brownoser...

[Dems Will Win]

8. We all understand - we all have post-traumatic stress disease

from 6 years of horrific election losses and thefts to a neo-fascist regiime that has threatened the very life-blood of out nation and the world.

What Johnson had was typical of a very minor stroke or TIA.

There is a small chance he could have a second more severe stroke but they'll probably monitor him and maybe even put him on blood-thinner (too bad, it's rat poison and Vitamin E works just as well).

[catabryna]

16. I understand how you feel...

I did the same thing. I admonished myself and said a prayer since I'm of the praying sort but, I do still feel guilty about thinking first of our fragile majority rather than Mr. Johnson's health and family. :blush:

[Rageneau]

44. It wasn't politics you thought of first, it was the future of your country.

The Dem majority is the only hope we still have of returning America to the high regard it once held and deserved. It is quite understandable that you were concerned about that. Believe me, the FIRST thing the Freepers thought was "Good! If we can regain power this way, I hope he croaks."

I'm serious. Those goons really DO think that way. Why shouldn't you be as worried about putting America back on the right track as they are about keepingf her on the selfish, stupid, sinful WRONG track?

[cali]

6. Glad to hear it.

I'm no stroke expert, that's for sure, but I wondered if it was a TIA, when I heard about his condition upon entering the Hospital.

[Leilani]

10. What is a TIA?

Thanks.

[SoCalDem]

21. Transient Ischemic

Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA)

Symptoms

Symptoms of transient ischemic attacks (TIAs) develop suddenly and are always temporary. They usually go away within 10 to 20 minutes. TIA symptoms are just like stroke symptoms. They vary depending on which part of the brain is affected. Common symptoms of TIA include:

* Weakness on one side of your body or an inability to move a part or all of one side of your body, such as your face, arm, and leg.
* Numbness, tingling, or a feeling of heaviness on one side of your body.
* Loss of vision or changes such as blurring or double vision, dimness, or a sensation that a shade has been pulled down over the eyes.
* Difficulty speaking or finding or understanding words.
* Vertigo, unsteadiness, dizziness, clumsiness, staggering, or fainting. You may also have a drop attack, which is a sudden loss of strength in your legs.

It is not always easy to recognize a transient ischemic attack (TIA) because you may think that the symptoms are caused by normal aging or other conditions. But you should treat any symptoms of a TIA as an emergency because you have no way to know whether they are from a stroke or a TIA.

[Leilani]

29. Thanks so much for the info

& love your little Santa!

[htuttle]

32. Hmm...I get those symptoms when I drink...

..too much.

[Jackpine Radical]

68. Yeah. I used to live in Madison too.

And drank too much. Way too much. I may have had those symptoms too, but who remembers?

[DemBones DemBones]

7. I very much hope you're right. I just saw the news

at CNN online and said a quick prayer for Senator Johnson's quick recovery.

Beef is tasty but when I became a vegetarian over a year ago, my cholesterol went down 64 points in one month. Just a thought for DUers worried about cholesterol.

[greatauntoftriplets]

9. NPR is reporting that he is in ICU.

It doesn't sound like a TIA.

[Dems Will Win]

12. They might have had him in ICU to check him and be safe

But Randi Rhodes just reported Johnson has left the hospital...

[brentspeak]

13. Good grief, I'm reading two totally different things here

One post says Randi Rhodes announced he just left the hospital, and your post says he's in intensive care.

[Dems Will Win]

15. He's a Senator, I bet they check him in the ICU just to be on the

safe side (not have to move him if he suffered a second episode).

[MrCoffee]

17. msnbc says admitted for observation

it's so much fun to speculate.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16191212/

[cali]

For whatever it's worth

when my dad had a TIA, he was put into the ICU.

[blondeatlast]

35. I had a TIA last year and went to ICU for one night.

Three days later I was home, so this isn't really surprising, IMHO.

[Ellis Wyatt]

14. what skill you must have

to diagnose someone based off an article.

Kudos to you. Where do I send my money in tribute to your awesomeness?

[Fridays Child]

20. Now, hold on...

This is the opinion of someone with experience, based only on the publicly available information. This DUer is hardly pulling a Fristie. And, as for his take on the situation, I hope he's correct.

[Dems Will Win]

22. My diagnosis/speculation is based on the following:

1. He only slurred a little speech, then was OK.

2. He Walked into the hospital.

3. Randi Rhodes has reported that he has walked out of the hospital.

Unless Rhodes is wrong, it's not even a minor stroke bad enough to keep him for observation. If he left, they scanned him and found nothing,
meaning it's a TIA, kind of like hardening of the arteries.

If he's careful, he'll live long enough to serve out his term according to the tables. And a lot longer after that.

Unless Rhodes is wrong and Johnson is in a coma on the operating table. Then I'd have to change my diagnosis.

[karlrschneider]

28. There seems to be a lot of confusion. M$NBC said he went by ambulance,

I've been watching both M$ and CNN and have not heard anybody make the 'slurred speech' claim, specifically. Where are you getting your information?

[Dems Will Win]

30. AP:

Johnson became disoriented during a call with reporters at midday, stuttering in response to a question. He appeared to recover, asking if there were any additional questions before ending the call.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20061213/ap_on_go_co/johnson

[Dems Will Win]

31. Stuttered not slurred - same thing

And going by ambulance would be prudent. That's where the oxygen tank is in case he gets a true seizure.

[blondeatlast]

36. I walked an admitted myself last year when I had a TIA.

I believe you have enough knowledge and experience to make your case.

If Senator Johnson is anything like my case, he'll be just fine, and it sounds as if he is very much like me.

[Dems Will Win]

27. It's 21 years of experience with literally thousands of patients

I have a special niche in life.

[Midlodemocrat]

58. what skill you must have as well

to disparage someone who is offering their professional expertise. :eyes:

The OP happens to be spot on about TIAs, which YOU might have realized had you bothered to google rather than attack.

[readermostly]

81. Well said. That remark to the OP was uncalled for.

[TechBear_Seattle]

19. Strokes are very tricky things

It all depends on where, exactly, the stroke occured. Heavy damage in redundant or semi-redundant parts of the brain can be bypassed through therapy, but a small amount of damage in an important area can be permanently crippling, even fatal. Also, temporary and permanent changes in personality are not uncommon, which can be mild (the sudden development of musical talent, no longer liking grapefruit, switch in preferred reading from science fiction to bodice-ripper romances) or sever (development of extreme paranoia, intense religious ferver or strong vertigo.)

I agree about the coma, but it will be several days before any meaningful assessment can be made.

[Fridays Child]

23. Seriously? The sudden development of musical talent?

Does that happen with any frequency? It sounds like something from the pages of an Oliver Sacks book. :hi:

[TechBear_Seattle]

37. I got that backwards, sorry

It has been documented were strokes cause people to lose musical ability, apparently because of damage to the part of the brain that interprets melody.

[Dems Will Win]

25. If it's a TIA -- and that looks like what it is -- they'll just tell him

"We think you had a TIA but we don't know for sure". And I agree it will be next week sometime before the final answer.

[blondeatlast]

39. That's EXACTLY what they told me. I feel GREAT now.

From what I've learned, you are spot-on, my friend.

[TechBear_Seattle]

41. I understand the difference now

Thanks :hi:

[Midlodemocrat]

59. And, hopefully...do a carotid doppler or other venous studies and

put him on Plavix or some such drug.

TIAs are sooooo minor, but they can often be harbingers of worse things to come.

Thanks for your insight, DemsWillWin. It's very comforting.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

26. TIAs are a bit different than strokes.

They can be precursors to a stroke but in and of themselves are not life or health threatening...

TIA=Transient Ischemic Attack...

It's a temporary blockage of blood flow to the brain...

It is caused by narrowing of the carotid artery...


If he was discaharged from the hospital he's probably fine...

If it was my dad I'd want them to do a CAT SCAN on an outpatient basis...


You can see if there was any brain damage...

[TechBear_Seattle]

40. Ah, got it. Thanks

I've been seeing "stroke" all over the place. Thanks for the clarification. :hi:

[DemocratSinceBirth]

24. My Mom's 88 Years Old-God Bless Her...

She had a TIA in 1998...

She's watching Hardball and having her dinner in the other room...

[blondeatlast]

33. I had pretty much the same thing last year; they said they thought I

had a TIA but they didn't know for certain.

In fact, I'm as happy as I've ever been.

BTW, from a victim--thanks for your work.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

34. You're Not Going To Lose Capacity With A TIA

Did they put you on an aspirin regiment?

Plavix?

Did they do a corotid doppler?

[Dems Will Win]

38. Fuck Plavix or Kumadin - just take Vitamin E

All of the benefits and none of the side effects. Then have your blood thickness monitored. It's a snap.

1200 - 1600 IU of E a day depending on weight. Talk to your doctor (who'll probably go WHAAAA?)

[blondeatlast]

43. With all due respect, I like the regimen I'm on.

I've had insulin dependent diabetes for 40 years and already have had cardiac stents. I truly feel wonderful and I do watch carefuilly for any side effects.

I told them NO niacin though; I swelled up like a balloon, itched like an insane woman, and felt like I was burning to death.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

49. Aspirin , Coumadin, And Plavix All Thin The Blood

To varying extents...

Intuitively it makes sense that if the blood is thinner it will travel through your arteries better....

[blondeatlast]

42. All of the above. I feel wonderful. nt

[wryter2000]

45. Vote this up, folks

It needs to be on the greatest page where everyone will see it.

[William769]

46. Your joking right?

[Midlodemocrat]

61. I doubt it. And, I agree with the OP.

Given the bits of information that the MSM has released, it certainly looks promising. More of a TIA than a full blown stroke.

And, based on the OPs experience in this arena, I would say he/she is spot on. I have experience here as well and once you garner that knowledge, you aren't likely to forget it.

[William769]

73. Sorry I ain't biting.

Giving expert advice on something from news Stories is ludicrous! Just ask ex-Majority leader Frist.

[Midlodemocrat]

77. LOL. Big difference.

Frist diagnosed. This poster is sharing his/her experience.

[William769]

78. no difference.

Stupid is as stupid does.

[Midlodemocrat]

80. Unless you've been there as the OP obviously has.

The symptoms of a TIA are pretty hard to miss, even over the airwaves.

Hell, I diagnosed my dad over the friggin' phone and he was 400 miles away. It saved his life.

[William769]

94. Well it's the next day, guess what?

My post seems right on the money.

[Midlodemocrat]

95. LOL. No it isn't.

The OP stated that he would be fine and all the news reports are indicating that he's out of surgery and alert.

What's the deal, do you WANT him to die? Think positive thoughts, fer cryin' out loud.

[William769]

97. Oy Vey!

"What's the deal, do you WANT him to die?" :eyes:

It irks me when people claim to be experts with out all the facts. and yet there are still people who will defend this. Thats scary.

[Midlodemocrat]

98. All the OP was doing was offering some positive, hopeful thoughts,

based on his/her own personal experience. His/her experience with stroke victims parallels mine. It's not as though s/he diagnosed him via video. I don't get why people are so intent on disparaging him/her.

[William769]

100. We must be reading different posts then.

"All the OP was doing was offering some positive, hopeful thoughts,"

I read "Tim Johnson WIll Be OK Says DU Resident Stroke Expert".

Now I'm not an English major but...

[Midlodemocrat]

102. Based on his/her personal experience.

I don't see why everyone is attacking him/her for stating that in his/her experience someone who is in the condition Johnson was in yesterday when posted will be fine. :shrug:

[William769]

104. It's simple

You don't give expert advice on experience of this type of nature. it looks bad on the person doing it.

I have experience in many things, that does not make me an expert on any of them.

[Midlodemocrat]

105. But surely there must be something which you would agree you

are an expert on? I know I have things in which I *am* an expert, both personally and professionally.

I really don't think the OP meant any harm, I really don't.

[lindisfarne]

47. Frist tried ESP diagnosis as well. You may very well be correct but it reflects badly on you

to speak with authority when you have very little reliable information about his actual status.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

50. As Long As The OP Stipulated He Was Speculating He's Fine IMHO

With the operative word being speculating...

Here's a link to tia s...


http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=4781

[Cleita]

48. I have had two TIAs and didn't even know it until they

showed up in a MRI of my head. A little physical therapy corrected a balance problem I developed and now I'm fine.

My husband had one that paralyzed one side of himself but since they caught it in time he got his speech and lost most of his paralysis in a month.

[rainbow4321]

51. As a nurse who works on a neuro floor

I can tell you that you're at risk of misleading people here.

Taken care of lots of stroke patients. They don't have to put someone in a coma to be considered a "serious". Aphasia alone can end a career..as can any other stroke induced condition..paralysis, lost vision, etc..

Now having said that, we also get quite a few who present to the ER with a numb hand, dizziness, or temporary aphasia and by the time they reach our floor, everything is resolved. We still put them thru a bunch of tests: CT, MRI, carotid doppler ultrasound (sees if the carotids are occluded which can lead to stroke symptoms since blood can't get to the brain), multiple cardiac enzymes blood work (did they have an MI?), blood coagulation tests (Too thick? Too thin?).
**None** of us will know what degree of "stroke" was involved here until he makes and official announcement himself explaining the severity of his condition.



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stroke#Signs_and_symptoms

Aphasia (inability to speak or understand language from involvement of Broca's or Wernicke's area)
apraxia (altered voluntary movements)
visual field cut(involvement of occipital lobe)
memory deficits (involvement of temporal lobe)
hemineglect (involvement of parietal lobe)
disorganized thinking, confusion, hypersexual gestures (with involvement of frontal lobe)

If the cerebellum is involved, the patient may have the following:
trouble walking
altered movement coordination
vertigo and or disequilibrium

[Dems Will Win]

52. People were worried he would die

The signs were slight TIA from the news reports as I explained. I also said the final answer would be known in a week.

But it does not look like imminent death or coma, and it does look TIA, so the great odds are that Johnson will live and Cheney will not turn the Senate Republican.

Of course it is serious and he will be observed and tested more I'm sure.

If it is TIA, the best treatment is change of diet. No more trans fats for Senator Johnson!

(Or anybody I might add)

[kikiek]

54. He sought help quickly. Very important to good outcome if it is a stroke.

[IDemo]

74. Are patients with these symptoms also given BG testing, or screened for diabetes?

Almost all of these sound like symptoms of insulin reaction/low blood sugar, as well. Speaking from personal experience..

[rainbow4321]

101. They are...

Routine lab work includes running a "chemistry"..fancy way of saying their electrolytes (out of wack electrolytes can also cause neuro signs/symptoms) are checked along w/ their blood sugar, whether they have an official diabetes history/diagnosis or not.

[goforit]

53. Agreed!!!

[in_cog_ni_to]

55. That's a relief! My mom had a BAD stroke..paralyzed on her right side

and she has FULLY recovered. She has no residual effects from it. Mr. Johnson's stroke sounds to be pretty mild and he went to the hospital IMMEDIATELY...which is a good thing.

[pinto]

56. CNN is reporting not a stroke or heart attack, per contact with Sen's staff and GW Hosp.

[DemonFighterLives]

57. Dana Bash on CNN Inflation Room

:puffpiece: saying it was not a stroke or heart attack. Saying that they don't know what it was. Poor Wolfie had to hold back on his "what if" of the Senate Majority.
:dem:

[Dems Will Win]

60. Looks like I speculated correctly

Shows you how precious what we have really is!

[DemonFighterLives]

62. Very fragile!

Dana went on to say that it would go to 50/50 and GFY cheney would cast the deciding vote. I felt a dark cloud coming over the US again.
Please Lord and anyone else who can help, don't let cheney have the say so!

:dem:

[lala_rawraw]

63. admit it guys

did you think polonium?

[TahitiNut]

65. No.

I thought "small airplanes."

[in_cog_ni_to]

70. When I heard it wasn't a stroke or heart attack, yes..Polonium came to mind.

:(

[lala_rawraw]

75. that is what is so terrible about the state of affairs

now... we seem to have lost trust in everything and everyone. and no matter what the outcome is, there will be doubt, because the country is sinking under its own corruption and criminality. i cannot even remember when I felt comfortable and safe in this country. let's hope he pulls through for many reasons, not the least of which is the obvious horror of a Dick Cheney tie breaker.

[Robeson]

76. Some type of chicanery did come to mind, but then I remembered...

...that unlike every nation, society, and people that have ever existed in human history, we just don't do that type of thing in the USA. We're different.....

[Atman]

66. You posted this at 5:08...at 8:00 KO had a starkly different assessment

Sounds like Mr. Johnson is in very bad shape.

[ContraBass Black]

67. DU has a resident expert on everything,

And all of them are incredibly skilled at remote diagnosis.

[karlrschneider]

69. And some don't even have a profile.

:eyes:

[ContraBass Black]

71. The real fun is when a crowd of 20 DU photographic expers declares that a blur

Is blatant evidence of tampering, and then a photographer comes along and explains exposure time.

[karlrschneider]

72. Even without a video!

Maybe cat-killer was smarter than we thought!
:eyes:

[bigtree]

84. what the fuck is the problem? this is a discussion board and this is a discussion

not a diagnosis leading to ANY action by DUers.

I NEED the discussion. The sniping at the OP and everyone else offering an opinion is ridiculous.

[Lex]

89. I agree. What the hell?

The OP was clearly just offering an opinion based on what was known at the time.

He wasn't offering to perform medical treatments on the guy.

[kevin881]

83. how do you know he isnt in a coma? -nt

[roguevalley]

85. my mom had a TIA. she's fabulous. momentary scare and then ok

[PaganPreacher]

86. I'm sure that surgery he had was "just a precaution".

Surgeons do brain surgery for TIAs all the time! It couldn't be a cerebral aneurysm or subdural hematoma.

:eyes:

Maybe you set your crystal ball too close to the Magic 8-Ball, and the signals got mixed up. It could happen to anybody. I think it happened to Marcus Welby once.



The Pagan Preacher
I don't turn the other cheek.

[Lex]

88. The OP's opinion was based on what we knew at the time

and was just giving an OPINION.

We're free to believe it or not, like most opinions on the internet.

Don't get too excited.

[michreject]

106. This stayement is not an opinion

Tim Johnson had a minor stroke, probably a TIA they won't even be able to find on a scan.

It's being made as a statement of fact. I can't find the "In my opinion" or "I think".

[Lex]

107. So unless every statement that is an opinion

isn't prefaced by "in my opinion" or "I think" then it automatically rises to FACT level for you?

Life must be interesting for you. (BTW, that's an opinon.)

:hi:

[michreject]

108. You interpreted the OP as opinion

I interpreted the op as a statement of fact as if he was sure of his prognosis.

And yes, all opinions should be pointed out as opinions and not appear as though you know what you're talking about.

[Name removed]

90. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[PaganPreacher]

91. Inigo Montoya called-

He said, "'Fatalistic?' I do not think that word means what you think it means".

As a Pagan, I am neither fatalistic nor deterministic. You'll not find "Que sera, sera" anywhere in my philosophy.

And, just what is your objection to my post count? I write when I feel like it, and I don't write when I don't. What's it to you?

The Pagan Preacher
I don't turn the other cheek.

[LittleClarkie]

92. Now look what you did.

You made have to go and create a new sig image.

Now I just have to decide if I should use it.

God, I love that movie.

[PaganPreacher]

109. Excellent job!

Nice graphics, littleclarkie.

I love "Princess Bride", too. Great movie for a snowy evening.



The Pagan Preacher
I don't turn the other cheek.

[oasis]

87. Get well Tim.

[FuzzySlippers]

93. My father suffered a major stroke that resulted in permanent

disability, including a paralyzed arm, and at no point was he in a coma. Your statement that "if this was serious, Johnson would be in a coma right now" is simply inaccurate.

[Jacobin]

96. Now reporting that he is in critical condition on yahoo news

I feel a bit ghoulish worrying so much about the senate when his health is in such a dire state. time will tell, I suppose

[Vinca]

99. Aren't most people listed in critical condition after brain surgery?

People recover from critical.

[Norquist Nemesis]

103. That's what the CNN reporter (radio) just said

Streaming our local Jones affiliate, and the CNN reporter said that according to hospital officials, it's typical to list a patient who's had brain surgery as 'critical' for 24-48 hours.