Doctors gave her several days to live. She showed them how wrong they were

Four years ago, Monika Michalak suffered an ischemic stroke. He will remember the date for the rest of his life: October 29, World Cerebral Stroke Day. She did not immediately hear an accurate diagnosis. The stroke immobilized Monika in bed for seven months. Doctors did not give her a chance to survive, but she decided to do it to everyone.

As part of our campaign “We choose the truth”, we recall selected texts from TvoiLokona that influenced the reality around us. In the coming months, more articles from the series will be presented on the TvoiLokony home page. This text originally appeared on Onet in October 2019.

1. Monika was 39 years old when she suffered an ischemic stroke. For seven months she lay motionless in bed
2. She was supposed to live for a few days. On October 29, four years have passed since her struggle for health began
3. Monika lives on PLN 700 a month. One rehabilitation stay costs from three to five thousand. zlotys
4. The story of Monika was described by Łukasz Grass in the form of a book. Her will to fight is an inspiration

Stroke at a young age

Stroke is divided into ischemic and hemorrhagic. The former attacks much more often. It is estimated that about 80 people suffer a stroke in Poland every year. people, which makes this disease the main cause of disability in adults. 30 thousand stroke survivors do not survive.

It is assumed that stroke affects only the elderly. Monika was 39 years old when she suffered a stroke on October 29. Even though it appeared suddenly, Monika’s body had already sensed the approaching catastrophe.

– I went to the doctor because I had a headache. It’s not like I ignored the warning signals. It was the doctors who did not notice anything disturbing. On one of the visits, the doctor directly suggested that I need a psychologist’s or a psychiatrist’s advice, because I am dreaming up this pain – says Monika in an interview with our website.

She found out that the headache was not just a figment, but a harbinger of more serious problems – three weeks later, during a surgery in a natural medicine office. According to Monika, the treatment she was about to undergo at that time directly contributed to the deterioration of her health.

“Probably, sooner or later, I would have had this stroke.” The procedure, during which the doctor moved my head, could hasten the attack – explains Monika.

Also read: How do I recognize a stroke?

Seven months of stillness

Monika has a grudge against the doctor who came to the scene in the ambulance he ignored the symptoms of the stroke. He said it was a seizure, even though it had never happened to Monica before. Eventually an ambulance took her to the hospital.

– I was dumped in the emergency room. Literally – in the list on the hospital card I have it written «Patient abandoned». The medical staff from the hospital in Goleniów, concerned about my condition, tried to intervene. They saw that my condition was serious, but the doctor said that there was no need to transport me to another hospital. I was lying in the emergency room without help. My ex-husband’s sister offered to drive me to another hospital privately, but he wouldn’t agree. Only after a great brawl did they take me to a hospital in Szczecin.

Time is of the essence in stroke. The sooner a patient is looked after by doctors, the more likely it is to limit the devastation caused by brain trauma. The prolonged fight in the emergency room contributed to the deterioration of Monika’s condition.

For four months, Monika stayed in the ward in a hospital in Szczecin. The doctors did not have good news for her family. They advised Monika’s mother to say goodbye to her daughter. Another day passed and Monika fought with all her might. After four months, she was transferred to a hospital in Warsaw.

As Monika writes on her fanpage on Facebook, no muscle was working in her body. She saw, heard, understood what was said to her, but she could not communicate in any way. It lay like a log. She couldn’t move, her facial expressions didn’t work.

– While I was still lying in Szczecin, the head of the ward noticed that I was running my eyes, I reacted that there was something wrong with it. It was he who attempted to communicate with me. Earlier, I have the impression that the doctors put a cross on me. They must have assumed in advance that I would not live long. They were wrong.

Monika herself admits that it is hers nature did not allow her to give up. She has always done everything in spite of it. This time she also got her way. Although it has not been and is not easy. For four years, Monika has been undergoing rehabilitation all the time. This allows him to walk and talk. After the stroke, she had to re-learn everything.

Also read: How is rehabilitation after a stroke?

Discharge from hospital and what next?

The stay in the hospital was just the beginning of Monika’s long journey to regain fitness. Here too the strength of her character made itself felt. After such a serious illness, it is easy to break down, become depressed and lose interest in life.

– Depression is the great friend of stroke. If you do not have the support of your relatives and great self-denial in your recovery, then unfortunately the recovery process is very difficult. A close relative should be supported by a psychologist or psychiatrist.

During her illness, Monika received a lot of support from strangers. As she admits, she is probably lucky with people. Everyone she met on her way helped her and made the fight for her health make sense.

After leaving the hospital in Warsaw, Monika was referred to a center in Kamień Pomorski. She spent the most time there.

– My life went from one rehabilitation program to another. One week, two breaks and all over again. This was my life for a long time – he says.

The cost of one mid-quality two-week stay ranges from three to five thousand. zlotys. However, one stay is not enough. In order to recover, constant care of a physiotherapist is needed. In addition, there are medicines, rehabilitation equipment and medical supplies. The costs of recovering from a stroke are enormous.

– Healthy people do not realize these enormous costs. Unfortunately, when it comes to NHF services for stroke patientsaccess to them is poor and the quality is tragic. This means that most stroke patients do not receive the level of rehabilitation they need to recover.

Most of the people Monika has met who have had a stroke like her own treatment privately. This causes some of them to stop their treatment because they simply do not have enough money for further treatment and they do not know where to look for it.

– Not everyone has the ability and knowledge to manage a stroke. Patients and their relatives do not know what to ask for and whom, to which institution. The stroke patient is discharged and doomed to himself.

Monika was lucky because she was an insurance agent before the stroke, had her own agency and was aware of what benefits she could claim. The company she represented also did not leave her alone and supported her with the treatment.

– I knew where I could look for help, where I could ask for it. I have been using it so far, because I cannot finance everything myself. I have permanent allowance and disability allowance. Total PLN 700 …This is what I have for life. Nobody is interested in what I pay for stays in rehabilitation centers. If it weren’t for the initial support of my former employer and the ongoing foundation, I can’t imagine how I would get back to health.

The will to fight is very important in recovery, but without financial resources enabling proper rehabilitation, there is no chance of success. Monika cites a story: In between the camps, the physiotherapist recommended her to exercise at home on a stationary bike. The cost of such a bicycle is even PLN 3. Where to get such money, if we have 600 zlotys to survive?

Another situation: Monika has hearing problems after a stroke. Hearing in one ear. The cost of purchasing a hearing aid is over PLN 3000. The costs of recovery are enormous.

– The state helps to a very limited extent. To get help from PFRON or other institutions, you have to be really determined and… enjoy good health. You have to be healthy to be healthy and struggle with them – adds Monika bitterly.

Stroke is becoming more and more common also among young people. People who are active in the labor market and would like to return to this labor market. If they do not have adequate support, not only from their relatives but also from the state, there is no chance of this return.

Also Read: Are You At Risk Of Stroke? Interview with prof. dr hab. n. med. Piotr Pruszczyk

I don’t plan long term

On October 29, World Brain Day and four years after Monika had a stroke, the book “Damn me hit me” was published, which was written by Łukasz Grass based on Monika’s story.

This is the only thing Monika planned. Book premiere. Nothing else is planning.

– I don’t think long term. I focus on the here and now. Making plans is good, but usually life verifies our plans. It was like that with me. I had plans before the stroke. Now I live day by day and try to get better.

Monika does not want to be excluded from society. Before her stroke, she had a good job, starting a new life after divorce. Now she also begins a new life and fights for it with all her might. In her voice you can hear determination and a desire to get her own way. Check out her fanpage “Damn He Got Me” – you will meet a really cool person there.

The editorial board recommends:

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2. More and more strokes among XNUMX-year-olds. “Physical and mental degradation”
3. Surprising Discovery: Stroke May Be the First Sign of COVID-19. With whom?

For a long time you have not been able to find the cause of your ailments or are you still looking for it? Do you want to tell us your story or draw attention to a common health problem? Write to the address [email protected] #Together we can do more