CHAPTER 168

2026-08-24

This was my second frightening stroke scare. The first was in early 2017, when I suffered an intracranial subdural hematoma, which I mistakenly thought was a stroke. Misunderstanding aside, I was still unable to return to work afterward and became a homebody.

At exactly 1:00 p.m. last Thursday, August 20, my younger son was facing the front door and had just prepared to leave for work. I was standing between him and the door, tidying up some reusable shopping bags, when my right arm suddenly felt somewhat swollen, followed by numbness. I tried to raise my right forearm, looking at it as I did so, and found that I could raise it only slightly. It would not respond to my will. My arm seemed as if it were being moved by something else, almost like a foreign object. I could barely sense that the arm was attached to my body.

I immediately looked forward and called out, “Little brother, Dad’s arm is XXX…” My memory of what I said is roughly, “…there’s something wrong with my arm / it won’t obey me.” Later, at the hospital, he told me that he had seen the right side of my face drooping and noticed that my speech was slurred. Only then did I finally manage to say that there was something wrong with my right arm.

He immediately suggested that I raise both arms. I did as he said, raising both arms together as if giving a salute. My right arm was slower, but eventually both hands reached the same height.

At that point, all the symptoms—the swelling, numbness, weakness, and lack of control in my arm—disappeared. My younger son helped me sit on the sofa in the living room and called 911 for an ambulance. While waiting, he followed the dispatcher’s instructions and had me remain seated while performing various movements and facial expressions to assess the severity of a possible stroke.

Within fifteen minutes, a fire truck arrived. Two firefighters examined me and asked about what had happened. They agreed that I had experienced stroke-like symptoms and that I needed to be taken to hospital by ambulance for further examination. Thirty-five minutes later, three paramedics arrived and conducted further examinations and recorded the details.

During this time, I experienced an irregular heartbeat. My heart rate dropped from 80 beats per minute to a low of 38, hovering around 40, but I did not feel any discomfort.

After arriving at the hospital, I immediately underwent an electrocardiogram. My medical history was reviewed, blood was drawn, a CT scan was performed, and I was placed under observation. My platelet count was 83, only slightly more than half of the lower limit of 150. Five hours later, the preliminary diagnosis was that this was temporarily classified as a minor stroke-like episode, but that my body had already resolved it on its own.

The follow-up measures included:

 (1) notifying my family doctor, who instructed me to have my platelet count checked again; if it dropped to 50 or below, the risk of bleeding would need to be addressed. Fortunately, it had risen again;

 (2) restarting my blood thinner;

 (3) being referred to the Stroke Prevention Program at Royal Columbian Hospital; and

 (4) arranging for a full-day heart rhythm monitor.

If this had truly been a stroke, the consequences could have been profound, and the possibility of recurrence could not be ignored. A stroke can have a profound impact on the body, mind, and daily life. I therefore feel deeply shaken by this experience.

I regard this as an extremely serious warning in my medical history. Whatever happens, I must stabilize my body, mind, and lifestyle, and protect myself so that I can continue to be there for my two sons.

I am distressed when Lun suffers, but worrying will not improve his condition. He is safe and receiving comprehensive care, and I cannot demand more than that. Eight weeks of staying overnight with him has already exceeded the limits of what my body and mind can bear. I must stop immediately. I also notified the person in charge of his residence right away.

My younger son is still growing and has personally experienced the many ups and downs of our family. Unfortunately, he has gone through more hardships than most people. I hope to spend more time accompanying him and help him find his own path in life.

This Monday, the specialist from the Stroke Prevention Program assessed my case. Because all my suspected stroke symptoms had completely disappeared within one minute, they did not fit the pattern of a minor stroke. When the blood vessels and nervous system are affected, it normally takes at least seven to ten minutes for the symptoms to recover.

Furthermore, the CT scan could not identify any site of injury. After reviewing my history and treatment for the subdural hematoma I suffered in early 2017, the doctors concluded that the symptoms this time were triggered by the old injury under enormous physical and mental stress.

This time, my exhaustion caused the irregular heartbeat I have had since 2000 to recur. An irregular rhythm of blood circulation can create the possibility of blood clots, which can lead to a stroke, and therefore had to be addressed.

For people with an irregular heartbeat, the calculation of stroke risk is one percent per year for those aged 40 and under, and two percent per year after the age of 40.

At 66, my risk is calculated as follows:

1% × 40 + 2% × 26 = 40% + 52% = 92%

Almost a certainty. The doctor has prescribed blood thinners for one year. The medication thins the blood, but the risk of internal bleeding is low.

I began taking blood thinners in the latter part of 2000's and stopped after my intracranial bleeding in 2017, following the instructions of the surgeon who performed the operation. In 2023, my cardiologist also determined that because my irregular heartbeat had not recurred, I did not need to resume taking blood thinners.

Now that I am taking blood thinners again, I completely accept it. I am genuinely overjoyed with this outcome. From now on, at worst, I shall simply obey the medical order to be an idle man, and I can stop worrying about all those bothersome affairs of the world.