how I explained what happened in a january email

Greetings to all from murph in Austin. Not sure if word through friends or plough and stars alumni association has brought you "breaking" news about my recent “performance" past October during the 2005 Chicago marathon, so I thought I might send an email to bring folks up to date with what happened and how I'm dealing with it feel free to forward or excerpt- murph I have a bit of news but i 'm afraid it's not all good: I left on October 6th(2005) for Chicago to run the Chicago marathon and had an unexpectedly long stay...marathon went "well"- that is I completed in 3:06 which is reasonably good time considering what i am about to share with you. At mile 23, I began seeing spots and dots in my right eye. Assuming it was dehydration, I stopped to stretch and take more fluids at a water stop, then continued on for mile 24 in quick pace (5:41 mile pace to be exact). So, when i crossed the finish line in 3:06, I was pleased enough with the result. And though I had vision problems with my right eye, did not think much was seriously awry "just the usual fatigue/dehydration" I thought.. I felt fine an hour later, at least well enough to see properly and to go out with my brother (who lives in chicago) and sister (austin sister patricia who ran marathon that day as well). We ended up at a fun place called Southport lanes yes, a bar with bowling lanes. So, I was feeling well enough to toss a few frames of bowling until my hamstring started cramping- it had been bugging me during and after the marathon. Hoping that stretching my legs would relieve the cramping, I laid down on the floor to stretch my legs, when a waiter came over to help me up he, and soon then, I realized that I was not at all well: my arm was dead and I had troubling standing. Next thing you know, ambulance blah blah, emergency room blah blah and I wake up later that night in the intensive care unit of Loyola hospital. Turns out the issue with vision at mile 23 was first sign of a stroke. Apparently, a blood clot formed in my neck during or after the race and then went to the brain or was blocking flow of blood to right side of my brain - your basic stroke. Spent the night in the emergency room where matters only went from bad to worse. Notes my dad took during phone call at 1pm the afternoon after the marathon with neurologist at Illinois Massonic after being admitted from the emergency room paint a vivid picture of extent of damage and reason for the end result: total left side paralysis-"doctor reported massive stroke(on right side of brain will effect left side of body)...critical condition .. bleak progress... put on ventilator. Further conversation about possibility of transfer to loyola, told doctor we approved although warned about risk of transfer. Was eventually transferred safely by ambulence to Loyola Hospital. Spent four days in ICU at Loyola before i was stable enough to be transferred to the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago – a place that specializes in stroke rehabilitation: Sorry to drop this on youin an email, but the good news is that I’m back to my home in Austin and i'm talking and walking up a storm. I was in- patient at the RIC doing rigorous physical therapy in chicago from oct 12 til nov 14th and walked out on my own power! I'm doing physical therapy four days/week here in Austin at St. David's hospital as an outpatient. My legs have recovered quite well to the point where I have jogged on a treadmill and can walk without assistance of a cane. Remaining deficit is that my left arm and hand are not completely functional. I have regained flexion in the hand which means i can make a fist and pick some objects up, extension of the fingers has been slow to come, but time will heal that- so that's my drama these days. My sisters have been tremendously helpful and supportive throughout this entire episode. I'm luckier than I realized on that count, and so many friends have come out of the woodwork that I never knew cared so much! Sure, I’ve had some frightening moments and dark days, but the overwhelming lesson for me has been the realization that I was/am blessed with great friends and family and as with the”little things” like being able to tie my shoes or button a shirt there were many things I took for granted! I've leaned quit a bit about myself and others in the past month. So, sincerely I wish you a "happy new year” we all have much to celebrate. I've come to realize that I had a great life, blessed with good friends, a good job, a great family- so I am especially motivated to work hard to return to what was a rich life and if that takes four days of physical therapy per week I’m game for it. A bit of a heavy email from me.. sorry bout that but I do hope you are all well and happy where you are. Hope some of you might email back, as I’d love to be back in touch. I promise to keep working hard, so that all the news you hear from me will be good from now on. my current goals are to get back to work (should happen by may, i really want to get cleared to ride a bike - bit of a challenge cause I'm on anti-coagulants so bleeding is bad... running again is not out of the question, just a matter of time before my vascular health has been cleared so i can get off of blood-thinning meds.
love and best wishes for a happy and healthy new year,
murphp .s sorry about the mispellings and typos: i'm operating with only one hand these days