Skip to main content

Fibromuscular dysplasia


I really never knew my grandmother. I kinda knew her from a distance  I saw here maybe about 5 or six times. My mother did not know her until she was 22 years old. But, my point about all of this is MY medical history. 

The stroke was much unexpected. There was no family history, but last night I remembered that my grandmother died on her 66th birthday and the cause was a cerebral hemorrhage.  Mom said that she told her other daughters that she would die that day--  and she did!  

So, is there a hereditary condition? Who knows.

I often wonder about adoptions.  How would you know about your medical history? For my brothers and me, I do know about our family history I guess.

My Dad’s family history is the usual stuff. Grandpa Selmer had cancer and died at 77. Grandma Agnes had the “Robertson Disease” (her maiden name) but the common name is Alzheimer’s.  My dad has liver disease and died at 63 like his brother who died at 63 succumbing because of liver disease.  His cousins also died of liver disease even though some did not drink at all.

For my mother, Grandpa Bailey had heart attacks.  Mom’s siblings were another story.  Her mother had four kids, and Mom was the second. Three fathers for four kids. I do not know about Mom’s siblings from that side of the family.

For my Mom’s dad, she has two sisters living. They were her "sisters."

So, always wonder about me! Was there precursor? Was there a warning? Was this the luck if the draw. Why me?

At the hospital when the first stroke happened, the doctors said “this is what caused my torn carotid artery."

“Fibromuscular dysplasia (FMD) is the abnormal development or growth of cells in the walls of arteries that can cause the vessels to narrow or bulge. The carotid arteries, which pass through the neck and supply blood to the brain, are commonly affected. Arteries within the brain and kidneys can also be affected.”

Of course, three days later, the “big one” hit, and my journey is continuing to unfold.

Comments

FMD Chat said…
Mark - Please visit fmdchat.org and facebook.com/fmdchat to connect with other FMD patients. Best wishes on your recovery.

Popular posts from this blog

What is wrong with us! A lot: Aphasia, Apraxia, and Dysarthria

This morning, from 10:30 to Noon, at St. Lukes in Meridian Idaho, I participated in the “Aphasia, Apraxia, and Dysarthria Support Group” started a year ago through Idaho State University. We meet weekly.  So, what is wrong with us? Aphasia is the name given to a collection of language disorders caused by damage to the brain. A requirement for a diagnosis of aphasia is that, prior to the illness or injury, the person's language skills were normal. The difficulties of people with aphasia can range from occasional trouble finding words to losing the ability to speak, read, or write, but does not affect intelligence. This also affects visual language such as sign language . The term "aphasia" implies a problem with one or more functions that are essential and specific to language function. It is not usually used when the language problem is a result of a more peripheral motor or sensory difficulty, such as paralysis affecting the speech muscles or a general hear

College of Western Idaho should offer a Bachelor of Applied Science Degrees (BAS) in Business Administration

Last month I was invited to attend Gov. Brad Little’s announcement of his “Idaho LAUNCH” program which aims to prepare Idaho’s students for Idaho’s workforce needs. Idaho LAUNCH provides grants for education and training programs. Legislators and a host of businesses participated in Gov. Little’s announcement. As a former member and chair of the College of Western Idaho Board of Trustees, I was pleased to lend my support for this needed program. At the same time, I am fully supporting CWI’s goal to deliver a Bachelor of Applied Science Degrees (BAS) in Business Administration for under $20,000. I am pleased to see some many businesses join the effort. The Idaho LAUNCH and CWI’s BAS in Business Administration is a “win-win” for everyone especially students who need that targeted education to succeed. The Idaho LAUNCH program received legislative approval and students are applying. However, CWI’s proposal needs the State Board of Education approval. THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION WILL DECI

Phantom Blindness and Taking a Break after Strokes

I met with my eye doctor last week about taking some time off from my vision therapy. I have been doing therapy since my stroke almost two and a half years ago. I am tired, and a need a break. My doctor said, “This is completely understandable. Take some time off.” At the appointment, my doctor tested my vision. Because of the strokes, my vision was affected, and I have a problem in my field of vision on the right side. I have a deficit with my right side peripheral vision. However, it is getting better. During the test, I told him that I “sense things on the right side of my peripheral vision.” It seems that I know that something is there, but I cannot really distinguish what it is. He told me that there is a body of thought describing phantom vision or phantom blindness. A Polish researcher, L. Bieganowski, described this phantom blindness this way:    “The subject of the paper is the phenomenon of phantom vision. It occurs among the blind (or almost blind) and is