Update:
Hi all! Yesterday was the last day of our ABD adults only trip in China. After our morning activities we were on our own for a little before meeting up after some shopping for souvenirs. I began to notice that the right side of my face and jaw felt weird and somewhat numb. Ive been teaching CPR and First Aid nearly everyday for the last 11 years. Part of that involves teaching people to recognize signs of possible stroke and scare them enough to get immediate medical attention, rather than ignore it. Here it was happening to me. I could lift both arms with no problems and my speech wasn’t t slurred. I looked at DH and asked him if when I smiled if the right side of my face was moving. He said it looked off. I asked him to tell me what happenes when I stick out my tongue and he said it dropped to the right. At that point he realized when I blinked my right eye wouldn’t move or close. I told him to call the guides and explain I was having stroke symptoms and to get medical attention ASAP. I stayed calm and matter of fact even though I was terrified and doing everything I could to hide it.
As luck, bad or good, depending on how you look at it would have it, another guest had her contact rip and part of it went behind her eye and also needed medical attention. Our local guide, Flo, in Shanghai had already reached out to a contact she made for such emergencies. The doctor was not in the clinic and was at a conference about to go to lunch. She had already agreed to forego lunch and come in for the ripped contact and now was also going to stay for me as well. All hands were on deck. Flo, got us a van via China’s version of Uber and we were taken to a clinic. Along the way, my fear got the better of me and I told DH if the worst happens, that I hoped he knew I loved him more than anything in the world and while I don’t want this ride to end yet, it’s been the best ride ever because we were on it together.
There is no way we would have found this place. The moment we walked in the staff and doctor were already at the door to meet us and begin taking my blood pressure which was very high. It normally is not. After a battery of diagnostic physical tests both the doctor and I were thinking an onset of Bell’s Palsy is what we were looking at. None the less, I knew I’d need an MRI to rule out stroke and the doctor also agreed. However, things don’t work in China they way they do here as the doctor explained. She got me an immediate appointment at a diagnostic imaging cenetr for the MRI which was about 30 minutes away. The nurse from the clinic escorted DH and I in a hired car to the diagnostic center while Flo took the other couple to Shanghai
Disneyland to rejoin the group. The moment we walked in the diagnostic imaging center, we were immediately taken care of and I was in the MRI machine in no time. She was very sweet and held my arm everywhere we went. After the MRI we waited a few minutes for the films and copy of the CD. The specialist called the dr and went over the results with her while the nurse hired another car to take us back to the clinic. Flo was there waiting for us with Jenny, our guide from Guilin who was also observing the entire trip as part of her training to be a full ABD guide for China. No signs of stroke and everything pointed to Bell’s Palsy. Before we had left the clinic to get me an MRI she had already prescribed me with an antiviral and prednisone along with drops and lubricants for the eye I can’t close. She gave me the films and cd and we were off again.
Jenny, got us a hired car and we drove to Shanghai Disneyland to meet back with the rest of the group. I was able to get in a couple of rides and of course join everyfor our farewell dinner at Club 33. Daisy, our local China guide knew we were going the following day to Shanghai Disneyland hotel and planned to be at the park by rope drop. She arranged to have our room ready by 9 am, even though check in is at 3 pm, just in case I needed to get back and rest. The guides also arranged to have some fast passes added to our tickets for the next day.
My thoughts: I have never experienced something so scary in my life. Thinking you might be having a stroke and may wind up dead or permanently disabled while you are in a country half way around the world where you don’t speak the language or understand the culture is not something I’d wish on my worst enemy. Now, of course we had trip insurance but somehow, I don’t think that could have done me any good when it came to the logistics and transport. I don’t imagine the phone number I’d be calling in the middle of the night would lead me to someone who had a doctor they could get to drop what she was doing and go to the clinic to wait for me, I don’t think they could have arranged for and transported me everywhere I needed to be and back to my vacation. I was blown away over how quickly everything was simply handled and provided with not an extra second wasted. I am beyond thankful that if this had to happen to me while I was out of the country, that it happened while I was with ABD. Daisy, Ralph, Flo and Jenny were amazing in how they handled this. I am so thankful.
I will finish the trip repor but will need some time. It’s harder to text with only one eye open.
