It has been over two weeks since Arnold Clavio suffered from a hemorrhagic stroke.
Last Thursday, after one of his therapy sessions, Jessica Soho dropped by to visit him and check on his recovery and see how he’s doing.
In the latest episode of “Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho,” he said that he is now considering his current life as his second one.
“Hindi ko alam talaga mangyayari sa akin ‘to. Pero sabi nga hinay-hinay, unti-unti e makakabati uli ako ng ‘Magandang umaga, mga ‘Igan!'” he said.
[“”I didn’t expect that this would happen to me. I told myself I’d take it slow until I can fully recover and greet everyone again, ‘Good morning, mga Igan!'”]
On June 11, Arnold was on his way back home after a golf game when he felt something was wrong.
“Bigla na lang lumamig ‘to, right side ko, right arms ko. Malamig siya na mabigat. Erratic ‘yung drive ko. ‘Ano ‘to?’ Tapos hindi ko na matapakan ‘yung brake and gas, tumatagos ‘yung paa ko. Sabi ko, ‘Naku! Hindi ko gusto ‘tong nangyayari.’ So ite-text ko si Ina. Naku! Iba-ibang letra na ‘yung nasa cellphone. Hindi na makabuo ng salita. Tapos nakita ko ‘yung speedometer ko parang ang bilis ko hindi naman ako tumatapak. ‘Yun pala natatapakan ko siya nang mabilis,” he said.
[“My right side went cold, my arm felt heavy. My driving became erratic. I didn’t understand what was happening. I couldn’t control the brakes or the gas pedal. I tried to text Ina, my wife, for help, but I couldn’t form complete words. Glancing at my speedometer, I realized I was going too fast. It hadn’t occurred to me that I was pressing down on the gas.”]
Despite his condition, Arnold still managed to get himself to the hospital.
“Maya-maya, dumating na ‘yung mga resident nurse saka ‘yung doktor sa ER. Sabi niya, ‘Sir, ang BP ninyo po is 220/120,'” he said, adding that his sugar level was 270.
[“The nurse and doctor approached me in the emergency room and told me that my blood pressure had spiked to 220/120.”]
He underwent a CT scan, where they found out that he had slight bleeding on his brain, and diagnosed him with hemorrhagic stroke.
According to neurologist Dr. Greg David Dayrit, there are different reasons for a stroke or brain attack, including high blood pressure, head injury, blood clots, among others.
“Nagkaroon siya ng intracerebral hemorrhage. It’s a brain hemorrhage due to a rupture of an artery sa brain. So may pumutok na artery dun sa kanyang utak,” Dr. Greg said.
[“He had what is called an intracerebral hemorrhage, which is a brain hemorrhage caused by the rupture of an artery in the brain.”]
Arnold’s condition was further aggravated by his high blood sugar level.
“Kasi si Arnold, diabetic din siya. Ang mga diabetic, maraming complications. Hindi purely effect lang nung stroke, but pwede siyang nagkakaroon na ng complication ng diabetes, which is diabetic neuropathy. Kaya nagkakaroon siya ng mga pins and needles sa kanyang mga kamay, paa,” Dr. Greg said.
[“Arnold is diabetic. Diabetics are prone to numerous complications. What happened isn’t solely due to the stroke; he could face additional challenges because of diabetic neuropathy, which explains why he felt pins and needles in his hands.”]
“Ang galing ng ginawa ni Arnold, presence of mind. Pumunta siya kaagad sa nearest hospital. ‘Pag hindi niya ginawa ‘yun, pwedeng lumaki ‘yung hemorrhage,” he added.
[“He showed presence of mind by going to the nearest hospital. If he hadn’t done so, the hemorrhage could have been worse.”]
Arnold considers himself a “lucky man,” for he was declared “out of danger” following the incident.
However, he still suffers from the aftereffects of the stroke, which has limited his movement. He now requires support whenever he walks.
Arnold said that he didn’t question why it had to happen to him.
“Ang tanong ko pa hindi ‘yung ba’t ako e, ang tanong ko pa ‘ano pa ang gagawin ko for Your glory?'” he said.
[“I didn’t ask the Lord, ‘Why me?’ Instead, I asked Him, ‘What else could I do for Your glory?'”]
What are the signs and symptoms of stroke?
Dr. Greg advised people to remember the acronym “BEFAST.”
B stands for balance.
“Ito ‘yung tawag natin na bigla na lang na sumakit ang ulo o mahilo. Tapos yung I—eye signs, biglang lumabo, nabulag o nagdoble paningin,” he said.
[“This is when a person suddenly experiences a headache or dizziness. ‘I’ stands for eye signs. Watch out if your vision becomes blurry, impaired, or if you’re seeing double.”]
“‘Yung F stands for face, facial asymmetry, mangiwi. ‘Yung A, arm, arm drift, bumabagsak ‘yung kamay. ‘Yung S, speech, sudden speech na difficulty na kung nagkaroon ng pagkabulol or worse hindi makapagsalita. In letter T, very crucial is time. Sa stroke, very important ‘yung time,” he continued.
[“‘F’ stands for face or facial asymmetry—where one side of the face may appear droopy. ‘A’ stands for arm or arm drift, indicating arm weakness. ‘S’ stands for speech, characterized by difficulty speaking or inability to talk at all. ‘T’ stands for time. During a stroke, time is of utmost importance.”]
The doctor also warned that stroke can recur.
“And nobody knows kung sino ‘yung tatamaan ng another stroke. The more risk factors, the higher the risk for another stroke. Kaya kailangan bawasan ang stress. It can be stress mentally or stress physically,” he said.
[“Nobody knows when a stroke can occur. The more risk factors you have, the higher the risk for another stroke. That’s why we have to watch out for stress—both mental and physical.”]
Meanwhile, Arnold is now undergoing rehabilitation and therapy. He is also closely monitoring his blood pressure and sugar level.
“Wala na akong mahihiling. Kaya kung anuman ‘yung mangyari, handa na rin ako. Kaya sinasabi nila doktor na ‘Ingat ka sa second attack.’ S’yempre nandun tayo sa pag-iingat. Pero kung sakali man panibagong pagsubok ‘yun, pasalamat pa rin ako sa blessings na naidulot nun,” he said.
[I really couldn’t ask for more. Whatever happens, I am ready. The doctors kept telling me to be careful of a second attack. I will. But if that happens, I will still be grateful for the blessings that God has given me through it all.”]
—JCB, GMA Integrated News
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