“So, I never complain about anything anymore. I’m not sure I was really much of a complainer to begin with, but I don’t complain at all. I’m willing to roll with the punches with change. I am trying to create. I don’t feel like I’m the most creative person, but I’m trying to be better at it. […] So, if I could tell people what to do, you know to help them recover, I’d say find a routine. I think routine is something we all need every day.” – Dr. Campsey
It was a seemingly ordinary November morning in 2021 for Dr. Mike Campsey. A work meeting at the hospital dictated that he exercise earlier than normal, but he was accustomed to the predawn wakeup. After a HIIT workout on his stationary bike, he began calisthenics, but he quickly realized that something was very wrong. His right arm wasn’t cooperating, and it wasn’t long before he was lying on the floor, his face drooping and his speech reduced to an infantile babble. He miraculously managed to make enough noise to wake his wife two floors above him, and she knew immediately upon seeing him that he had suffered a massive stroke. A life flight and an embolectomy later, Dr. Campsey found himself staring down the long road to recovery.
Join host and former firefighter/paramedic Phil Klein as he sits down with interventional cardiologist, Dr. Mike Campsey. While not a traditional first responder, Campsey brings a different perspective to the lifestyle of caring for others – often above oneself. He shares the anxiety, grief, and depression that brought some very dark months after his stroke, his decision to seek help, and his conflicted feelings on being diagnosed with PTSD. While he knew there would be physical recovery, it was the mental recovery that was perhaps the most unexpected and challenging – but also the most transformational.
To learn more about Dr. Campsey and to read his blog on health and leadership, visit www.mikecampsey.com.
Enjoying season six of Stories From the Road? Please take a moment to give us a five-star review on Apple Podcasts or whichever platform you use to listen. Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter and Instagram for more exclusive content!