Medic2medic Podcast

Episode 136 is Avi Golden. Avi was a Paramedic and his plan was to attend medical school. In early June 2007, at 33 years of age, Avi was admitted to Columbia Hospital, in New York, for surgery for a mitral valve prolapse repair that was discovered near the aortic valve in his heart. Like many people who go to the hospital for serious, but seemingly routine, surgery, Avi thought he’d be out and recovering in short order. However, that was not to be. During the surgery, Avi experienced a stroke on the left side of his brain, leaving him with right-sided paralysis, and profound aphasia, which proceeded to wreak havoc with his life. Did this stop Avi? Avi tells his story about his stroke and the effects of suffering from Expressive Aphasia. Avi still has balance problems and weakness on the right side of his body, but it’s his Expressive Aphasia that frustrates and confounds him more than any of his other post-stroke residuals. Avi can understand what people are saying to him and he can still read quite well. Ho