More doctors
Hi, I’m Michael and I’m a stroke survivor.
Since my stroke, I seem to be meeting more and more medical professionals. Not only in ways directly related to my health, but in everyday life. This week in Adelaide provided another such experience.
A Chance Encounter in a Café
I was sitting in a quiet restaurant after the Friday lunch rush, having a coffee and reading my book before my next appointment. At the next table, three older gentlemen were loudly debating which bottle of wine to order.
When one of them noticed me glancing over, he came across to apologise and joked about their “serious decision.” We started chatting, and before long, his mate joined us - bringing the new bottle of wine along.
“Do You Have Aphasia?”
After a few minutes, one of them looked at me closely and asked, “Your accent - do you have aphasia?”
I was surprised he guessed correctly. He smiled and said, “I’m a doctor.” Pointing to his friend, he added, “He is too, but you won’t need him - he’s an obstetrician!” Then he laughed and said I wouldn’t need him either, as he specialised in neonatal care.
He quickly worked out I’d had a right-sided stroke and asked the cause. When I replied “PFO,” his friend asked, “What’s a PFO?”
Explaining the PFO
After chuckling at his friend’s lack of knowledge, the neonatal doctor launched into a technical explanation: “All fetuses have a foramen ovale. Usually, venous blood goes through the lungs where clots are caught, but a patent foramen ovale creates a gap where blood flows directly to the arterial system and is pumped out.”
I understood perfectly, but I laughed at the complexity of his words. I offered my own version: “Old blood flows into the right side and, instead of being cleaned in the lungs, escapes through to the left side and gets pumped with fresh blood. First stop - the brain.”
He chuckled and admitted my version was far easier to understand. “You should visit medical schools and explain it to first-years,” he said. “They love to complicate things.”
Friendship, Advocacy, and Disability
It was fun watching these old friends rib each other over wine while weaving in serious topics.
We talked about stroke, advocacy, and how one sliding-doors moment had changed my life as a young, fit professional. We debated the word disability and why I chose it for my website and blog. I explained that if I can help normalise the term and make it easier for the next person who needs support, then I’ve done my bit for the community.
Collecting Doctors
The whole encounter was unexpected and delightful - one of those random moments that stays with you.
I used to collect lawyers. Now, it seems, I collect doctors.