Hey Rosie, could you please go give this nice lady a hand? http://www.marriagebuilders.com/cgi...pic&f=37&t=026423&p=2#000021

BR,

How are you doing? Think of you often and hope things are getting better with your health!!!! Let us know!!!

Dawn <img border="0" title="" alt="[Smile]" src="images/icons/smile.gif" />

hi Melody ~

I'll take a peek after work <img border="0" title="" alt="[Smile]" src="images/icons/smile.gif" />

hi daybreak ~

I'm still in recovery (docs say it takes a year before you know how much you'll recover from a stroke) - but I had the greatest pleasure yesterday actually...I work in cardiovascular research for a pharmaceutical company...and I was able to invite my heart surgeon to give a Grand Rounds seminar to the doctors and medical people I work with. He gave a fantastic talk about my heart condition and the connection with migraines and stroke. I can't tell you how good it felt to feel that I helped raise awareness in the medical community <img border="0" title="" alt="[Smile]" src="images/icons/smile.gif" />

Anyway - how are YOU doing?

Thanks much, Rosie! Hope you are doing better. We have missed ya lots!

BR,

I am glad to hear things are going well. I am sure that it was very satisfying to have your doctor come in and talk with your co-workers. It sounds like they are learning some from you and your stroke.

I have a daughter that had surgery for Wolf Parkson White Syndrome last February, she was dignosed with Basler(sp) migraines 3 years before. She has had numbers of CAT Scans and MRI's, she can not take regular migraine meds, it's very hard to watch her suffer at such a young age with all of this, she was dignosed last Jan with Fibromylgia too. Alot for an 18 year old to handle. She has said that she feels that she will die at a young age. That really scares me.

Anyways my question or thought was can you share with me a little bit more about yourself and the migraines and stroke, I mentioned this to my daughter earlier tonight and she found it interesting also.


Thanks,
Dawn <img border="0" title="" alt="[Smile]" src="images/icons/smile.gif" />

hey Dawn ~

While not 100% sure, my doctors are convinced that my stroke and my history of migraines were both linked to my heart defect. I had what is called a Patent Foramen Ovale (PFO). Its a congential heart defect - what it means is that the walls between my right and left atrium in my hearat did not grow to gether properly after birth, leaving a hole between the chambers that allowed blood to flow in the wrong direction.

It's a very common defect that is present in as much as 35% of the population. It can't be detected easily (ie no heart murmur). It is the leading cause of stroke in young people.

I believe in the < age 50 crowd of stroke victims, PFO is present in 50% of the population. An extremely high number of stroke victims found to be with PFO also had a history of migraines with visual disturbances - called migraine with aura.

Since my PFO was closed, I have not had any migraines at all. My doctor is an expert in the field of PFO and closure, and he said that his experience is that in almost ALL of his patients, either migraines either completely disappear, or are greatly reduced in frequency and severity after closure.

Here's a couple of links with more info:

http://www.docguide.com/news/content.nsf/news/8525697700573E1885256D960049DD23

http://content.karger.com/ProdukteDB/produkte.asp?Doi=47758

Hi BR,

Good to hear from you. Glad to hear you are doing better. Been thinkin' bout ya. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Smile]" src="images/icons/smile.gif" />

Just wanted to stop in and say hi. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Smile]" src="images/icons/smile.gif" />

hugz,
L.

BR,

Thank you so much I am going to go read now!!!

Dawn <img border="0" title="" alt="[Smile]" src="images/icons/smile.gif" />

BR,

Somehow I missed about your stroke, I'm glad you are doing well.

Hi, Dawn & ORchid.