Overworked and under-rested, Roger Temple thought his splitting headache, blurred vision, and slurred speech was a result of overwork, but unfortunately the problem was much more serious.
In August 1998, at the age of 50 Roger co-lead a troupe of 18 scouts on a four-day hike/paddle into the wilderness. On day three Roger woke up feeling awful. He had a migraine headache, blurred vision, speaking difficulty, and his left arm and left leg were numb with a pins and needles sensation.
A fellow leader and Roger’s general practitioner thought that Roger was having a problem with his thoracic outlet in his left arm, which was causing it to swell. Both Roger and his G.P. decided the best course of action would be to leave Roger at the camp alone for the day to rest.
What both Roger and his G.P. didn’t realize, was that Roger was in the midst of having a stroke.
Roger took it easy for the rest of the day, and even attempted to improve his condition by taking a dip in the lake, which didn’t help at all.
The following day Roger did not feel much better, but it was time for the group to head home, so he put aside the pain to make the 22km paddle and four portages back to civilization. By the time they made it out of the wilderness, Roger did feel a bit better. His vision and speech had improved, but he continued to feel hot and sweaty and on his left side his arm was still weak and swollen and his leg was noticeably weaker.
Back in the city, Roger rushed back to his demanding job and sought medical attention. He first made an appointment to see an orthopedic specialist because his G.P. had thought the problem had to do with his thoradic outlet. After seeing that specialist three months later, Roger was referred to a neurologist, whose waiting list was also three months. The neurologist sent Roger to get an MRI which took another three months, and then three more months for results.
When he finally got the news, Roger and his G.P. were blown away. “We were told I had had a stroke, in fact two – probably caused by atrial fibrillation with a clot passing to the brain. I was in disbelief and shock,” says Roger.
Most frightening was the fact that Roger could have easily had a massive stroke during the year he waited to find out what had happened to him on the canoeing trip.
Once he knew what the problem was, Roger set out to get himself healthy again. He reviewed his life for the past few years and determined that stress was a major factor in his condition.
In the years leading up to his strokes, Roger had been under a lot of pressure at work. On average he was working 15 hour days, and had begun to operate on just three hours of sleep a night. He had been very active, cycling eight-thousand kilometers per year, but the busier he got at work, the less time he had to exercise. As well, his hectic work schedule rarely allowed Roger to maintain a healthy diet.
“I didn’t have time to relax,” says Roger. “My body wasn’t able to continue functioning under that amount of stress.”
Once the strokes were discovered, Roger’s doctor told him his lifestyle had to change.
He immediately started Roger on drugs to reduce the risk of stroke and control his atrial fibrillation. He also told Roger that he would have to cut down his work load, even go on long term disability. But Roger refused to take time off. He shortened his days to 10 hours, and his doctor wrote Roger’s boss a letter to explain his condition.
Just a few months later Roger was offered a retirement package. “It was very appropriate timing,” he says.
Once Roger had retired, just a year after being told he had suffered a stroke, he started exercising again. He got back into cycling and started walking every day. As well, he and his wife moved to Sooke, just outside Victoria, for a quieter lifestyle.
To heal his limbs on his left side, Roger started intensive physical therapy in 2002. In six months he managed to increase the strength in his left arm from 50 per cent to 85 per cent. “Don’t let anyone ever tell you it’s too late for limb recovery,” says Roger.
“In fact perhaps one of the best things that I did, according to the doctors, was to start using the arm and leg almost immediately by paddling and portaging, immediately building up the damaged muscles,” says Roger.
In the Fall of 2002, the drugs Roger was on lost effectiveness and the doctors recommended that Roger have a pacemaker installed. He is now pacemaker dependant which means that the pacemaker beats for him full time.
Roger’s thoughts on his experience? “I am thankful. I have had tremendous support from my wife Vicki, I have had terrific help from doctors, and I have the best physiotherapist.”
Roger began volunteering for the Heart and Stroke Foundation of BC & Yukon in 2002 when he moved to Sooke. “I help with Heart and Stroke Foundation as a speaker, fund raiser, canvasser, with special events, with the TC 10km, office work, and I try to point out life style adjustments that would assist others in avoiding heart attack and stroke.”
“My advice is to be cognizant of yourself. Be proactive. Maintain your exercise, eat a proper diet and take the time to relax. Stroke can happen to anyone,” cautions Roger who removes stress from his life now by avoiding it. “I just take myself out of the situation because my health is more important.”