On June 27, 2011, Brent Cole experienced an ischemic stroke, in which a blood vessel in his brain was obstructed. Cole, a 35-year-old Romeo resident and owner of Romeo Party Rental, awoke during the middle of the night and thought the left side of his body had gone numb because of his sleeping position. He waited to see if the numbness would subside. When he tried to move, he realized the situation was more serious. His left arm and leg were paralyzed. Paralysis on one side of the body is a classic symptom of stroke, along with the sudden onset of difficulty speaking, confusion, blurred vision, trouble walking, or a severe headache. Cole experienced slurred speech along with his numbness.
“When I tried to stand, I fell,” Cole says. “I crawled on my right side into the kitchen and dialed 911, but the operator had trouble understanding me. Fortunately, she comprehended enough to send an ambulance. I was terrified. When EMS personnel asked which hospital I’d like to be taken to, I told them Crittenton.”
Down to the Wire
Cole did the right thing by calling 911, but he made the wrong move by waiting for a while to see if his symptoms would go away because “time is brain” when it comes to stroke. The less time that passes between the onset of symptoms and the initiation of treatment, the better the chance for a good outcome. Some people who experience an ischemic stroke may be candidates to receive tissue plasminogen activator (tPA), a medication that breaks up blood clots and ideally must be administered within three hours of initial symptoms to be effective.
The Crittenton Emergency Department was alerted when Cole was being transported by EMS personnel. When Cole arrived, he underwent several tests and evaluations— including a computed tomography (CT) scan—to diagnose the type and severity of the stroke. Even if a patient doesn’t meet criteria to receive tPA, he or she still benefits from care at Crittenton that may reduce his or her risk for a second stroke.
“Mr. Cole’s stroke evaluation and treatment was among the most dramatic cases I’ve ever been part of because of the time constraint involved in giving him tPA,” says Dree Daugherty, MD, Emergency Medicine Physician at Crittenton. “He didn’t come to the hospital immediately, so we had to use a special 4.5-hour protocol to perform our evaluations swiftly and administer the drug.”
Dr. Daugherty had to convince Cole and his family that the medication was worth the risk in a process that went down to the final second. When he consented, nurses immediately administered the lifesaving medication and Cole began regaining some movement and speech during the ensuing hours. Dr. Daugherty describes Cole’s outcome as “incredibly emotional for everyone involved.”
Much to Look Forward To
Stroke patients often need help regaining the strength, coordination, and motor skills required to perform everyday activities of living. That’s where stroke rehabilitation comes in.
“At Crittenton, stroke rehab starts in the ED. It extends through acute care in the Intensive Care and General Neurology unit to Crittenton Inpatient RehabCentre,” says Deb Miller, RN, PT, Assistant Director of Inpatient Rehabilitation at Crittenton. “The Centre’s multidisciplinary team of nurses, therapists, and other providers works intensively with patients, nearly 79 percent of whom are discharged directly to home after their stays. The RehabCentre is CARF [Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities]-accredited with a newly acquired stroke specialty program. Meeting these standards helps assure that we are best meeting the individual needs of our patients who experience a stroke.”
Cole returned home June 29 and is back to performing activities he loves, such as golfing and bowling. He looks forward to marrying his fiancée, Amy Maitland, in January 2013. “Asking EMS personnel to take me to Crittenton was the best decision I’ve ever made,” Cole says. “I would recommend Crittenton to anyone who experiences the symptoms of a stroke.”
Keeping Good Company
If the quality of stroke care at Crittenton is judged by the company we keep, patients can certainly expect the best.
Crittenton joined an elite group of more than 800 hospitals nationwide when we received certification as a Primary Stroke Center (PSC) from The Joint Commission in June 2011. To become a PSC, a facility must comply with clinical guidelines developed by the Brain Attack Coalition and American Heart Association/American Stroke Association, as well as promote stroke education in its community.
“We strive for clinical excellence at Crittenton, and becoming a PSC was a perfect way to continue that mission,” says Bernie Hung, Stroke Coordinator at Crittenton. “Achieving the designation was—and continues to be—all about educating physicians, staff, and the community about stroke and ensuring we deliver care in a standardized, evidence-based way. PSC certification lets our patients know they’re receiving the gold standard in stroke care.”
For more information about Cardiovascular or Emergency Services at Crittenton Hospital Medical Center, visit http://www.crittenton.com/?id=12&sid=1.
