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Lock In Syndrome, low sodium, Central Pontine myelinolysis

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Uploaded by on Aug 17, 2011

Ee Hooi walked into hospital accompanied by his brother and eldest aunt on 23 December 2003 late evening. They walked about 3 miles from home to the hospital as the bus was slow in coming. On admission the hospital took blood for electrolytes and subsequently gave him a drip with sodium added. A day after the drip with sodium added, he screamed when the brain suffered the effects of sodium going in too fast. The ward staffs tied him to his bed and pushed him into a store cupboard, so the screams did not disturb the other patients. On 24 December 2003, he was in a coma. He woke up on 24 January 2004 a vegetable.

Let me explain why Ee Hooi went into hospital. He had fever, cold for several weeks and slightly confused. He drank a lot of water which he thought would help with his fever. That must have contributed to his low sodium (hyponatremia). The hospital had given too much sodium too fast via a drip, and that caused his brain damage called extra pontine myelinolysis.

His blood electrolytes result showed sodium on admission was 103, and a day after the drip containing sodium was administered, the blood electrolytes showed 127. He was given 24 mmol of sodium in one day when the norm is 10 mmol per day. It was clear the sodium drip went in too fast from the blood electrolytes taken before and one day after. When sodium is delivered too fast, the myelin sheath was destroyed. The destruction of the myelin sheath that covers the nerve cells prevent the signals from being properly transmitted to the nerves. This decreases the nerve's ability to communicate with other cells. The damage caused is called central pontine myelinolysis. This is a devastating condition and is usually long lasting. The prognosis is poor. Where medics and nurses are well trained this should not happen as it is taught in all text book.

Ee Hooi acquired Extra pontine myelinolysis on 24 December 2003. The doctors treated him for stroke and lead his family to believe the same. On 19 October 2006 an honest doctor diagnosed Ee Hooi as having extra pontine myelinolysis. Another moral doctor brought the full awareness of this condition to his family on 15 May 2011. Up until then his family did not understand why Ee Hooi was able to walk into hospital and after one day he was screaming and then went into a coma. When he woke he was a vegetable.

Ee Hooi's cognition is good and he still remembers his identity card number which is 12 digits long and every member of his family's birthday. He remembers faces of his school friends and professional colleagues. He can no longer speak because the nerves controlling his mouth and tongue muscles are affected. They are the same nerves which control voluntary muscles. He cannot use his hands accept for one thumb which he communicates through typing that he uses his back muscles to type. He is in a Lock In Syndrome. Jean-Dominique Bauby wrote a book The Diving-Bell and the Butterfly by blinking his one good eye after he was disabled by a massive stroke. It was subsequently made into an award winning movie. Mr Bauby brought public awareness to this rare condition which he suffered from. He also formed the Association du Lock In Syndrome.

Thank God against doctor's predictions Ee Hooi now walks. Thanks to family love, care, physiotherapy and occupational therapy. So far he has not had speech therapy. He is unable to chew, does not have feeling in his tongue and cheeks. He has fortunately been spared swallowing and he pushes finely chopped food as far back as he could into his mouth using a spoon. Then he swallows. Unfortunately he cannot use his tongue. His vocal cords are working, but Ee Hooi is unable to speak for the nerves controlling his cheek, and tongue muscles are damaged. Words formation is not possible without the cheek muscles and tongue.

Tremor is ever present in his day and night even when he sleeps. Ee Hooi's sometimes bites when his mouth is cleaned. This is an involuntary movement which he has no control. He needs full time care. His main carer is his mother and eldest aunt.

If you have any comments write to eehooilim@gmail.com or find eehooilim on facebook.

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  • Hope he fully recovers. God Bless.

  • WELL YOUR SCREWED UP FOR LIFE HAHAHA SO YOUR LAME ASS GOD WILL NOT HELP YOU BECAUSE HE IS VERY BUSY FUCKIN HER SWEET ANGEL'S PUSSY HAHAHA

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