Ai FM DJ Liang Kim Loong’s Stroke Story

12 April 2020

Meet DJ Liang Kim Loong (梁金龙). If you are an Ai FM listener, you might have heard him on-air. He had a health scare recently when he was hit with a mild stroke out of the blue, and now he has a very important message for you. Check out our interview with Dr Kim Loong below!

Interviewer: Good morning, DJ Kim Loong. Can you tell us a little about yourself?

DJ Kim Loong: Hi everyone, I am an Ai FM radio station broadcaster and a TV host. I am also a singer and a stage performer.

Interviewer: Can you tell us about your health condition?

DJ Kim Loong: I had high blood pressure but I was reluctant to take medication for it. I thought if I started taking medicine, I would have to take it for life, and that sounded dreadful to me. I realised how wrong my perception was when I was hospitalised for a stroke.

DJ Kim Loong urges public to take medicine for their medical conditions.

Interviewer: When did you first realise that you were suffering from a stroke?

DJ Kim Loong: I was working at the office. When I tried to stand up, I noticed that there was a sudden weakness in my hands and legs.   

At first, I thought I was just too tired. Maybe it was normal to experience weakness in your limbs when you were tired, so I didn’t think too much about it. I continued working. After having dinner with my colleagues, when I headed to the car park, I noticed that the sudden weakness in my limbs had returned. It became very difficult for me to walk to my car.

Interviewer: What happened next?

DJ Kim Loong: Once I managed to enter my car, I called my friend, a traditional medicine practitioner. I received acupuncture and cupping treatment that very night, which caused the weakness to go away.

It was the Lantern Festival the next day and I had to work. The weakness in my limbs returned once more when I was working.  This time, it only happened on one side. I persevered for work but it lasted until the next day, which was a Sunday. I had another session of acupuncture to chase the weakness away.

Interviewer: Were you worried about the intermittent weakness?

DJ Kim Loong: I thought I was fine. I didn’t want to go to the hospital. However, I then experienced complete weakness in my left hand and left leg in the middle of the night. The left side of my face was numb and stiff. I was scared. I thought it might be a stroke. I had read so many cases about people ending up with distorted face or limbs because of stroke. So I put my fears aside and got myself admitted to the hospital at around 2 am.

Interviewer: What happened at the hospital?

DJ Kim Loong: I told the medical team about my condition - how my left hand, left leg and face and gone numb and weak. They sent me for CT scan and MRI immediately to find out the root cause of my numbness and weakness.

The MRI revealed a blocked blood vessel in the right side of my brain, causing weakness in the left side of my body.

Interviewer: What did your doctor say about your condition?

DJ Kim Loong: I was treated by Dr Raymond, who was very kind and friendly. He had handled many severe cases and he told me that I was only suffering from a mild stroke. He said it was truly lucky for me to discover my symptoms at an early stage. As I was considered young (cue: laughter), the chance of recovery was very high.

Dr Raymond Tan is a neurologist who specialises in neurological disorders and movement disorders.

Interviewer: Did the doctor give you any advice?

DJ Kim Loong: My doctor advised me to take medicine for high blood pressure. He stressed the importance of medication for high blood pressure patients of all ages.

Of course, one can always stay healthy by relying on a proper diet and regular exercise. However, I am of the opinion that we won’t know when will we overwork or adopt an unhealthy diet. My cholesterol level was normal when I had a medical check-up half a year ago. When I was hospitalised, I realised that my cholesterol level had increased drastically over the last 6 months.

Interviewer: What was the treatment recommended by your doctor?

DJ Kim Loong: My doctor told me to rest more. He also prescribed medicine for my high blood pressure. I was also required to go for rehabilitation.

I attended two rehabilitation sessions every day: physiotherapy and occupational therapy. Physiotherapy focused mostly on my legs whereas occupational therapy focused on my hands. Like a child, I learned how to use a spoon and remove a screw during occupational therapy sessions. These exercises equipped me with the necessary skills to return to work and live a normal life again.

DJ Kim Loong using the Purdue Pegboard during his occupational therapy session to improve manual dexterity and bimanual coordination.

I also learned to walk properly again with physiotherapy. As my limbs were not aware of their own strength, I was having problems walking in a straight line. 

DJ Kim Loong learning to walk again with robot-assisted therapy.

Interviewer: Do you have a message for your followers?

DJ Kim Loong: If you know anyone who is suffering from stroke, please help them rebuild their confidence. I admitted that I had lost confidence initially. I only regained my confidence again once I had calmed down and started to attend rehabilitation sessions.

I also wish to remind everyone to take good care of your health. Take medicine for your condition and seek medical treatment promptly.

DJ Kim Loong using Fourier M2 during an occupational therapy session. Fourier M2 is a robotic, height adjustable workstation that provides upper limb rehabilitation.

You can watch the video on DJ Liang Kim Loong’s Stroke Story here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IRwxYxJmoQQ&t=6s

Tags: tales from hospital

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