Listen to your body

Good day….

First, I would like to state that I am not affiliated with any medical establishment, nor have I studied medicine or worked in any medical field. I simply would like to share my life saving experience:

One night in mid-September of 2023, I experienced numbness in my left arm.
To a point that I had to use my right hand to lift my left arm. This alarming feeling lasted at least 10 seconds.
The following night, my left leg starting to tingle. This was scarier because it lasted a few minutes this time.
The next day I reached out to my fabulous family physician Dr. Siamack Rouzrokh.
After blood tests, an ultrasound, an MRI and a CT Angiogram the results came as the following:

“Moderate mixed atheromatous plaque @ the right carotid bifurcation in the neck resulting in approximately a 75% or more blockage and 25% on my left side.

On Nov 10th 2023, I went in for life saving surgery and had a artery bypass done on the right side of my neck. The blockage ended up being greater than 75%!
It was truly an eye opening experience. After exactly one year, I am fully recovered and living a normal life.
My amazing surgeon Dr. Maginot told me, "you basically saved your own life by listening to your body". That is the main takeaway that I want people who read this to have.

🔵 Did you know neck arteries are criss-crossed in your body? Left cartoid is connected to the right side of your body and right to left.

🔵 Did you know that if your left arm or leg has any unusual feeling, that doesn’t automatically mean that it's your heart, it may just be your right carotid artery?

🔵 Did you know that a funny feeling in your right arm and/or leg, can be because of deeper issue? Not the result of something that you did or something that you lifted that day. You could have a blockage on your left cartoid artery.

Bottom line........ listen to your body!!!
If you listen to your body and act, even the smallest feeling or suspicion can indicate a much larger issue.

I decided to share my experience here because within the last 11 months, I learned that 2 different individuals (that I personally do not know), heard my story from their friends or family. They both decided to go and see their primary care physicians to address similiar concerns. One of them ended up having surgery and the other is under their doctor’s care. Ironically they both experienced (non-heart related) issues in their right arms & hands.

Thanks for listening friends, now listen to your bodies and take care.