If you were having a stroke, would you recognize it? Would you know what to do? Some of the warning signs include numbness or weakness in the face, arm or leg; sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding; trouble seeing in one or both eyes; and loss of balance and coordination. Because many people do not know these signs and symptoms, stroke continues to be a problem in the U.S. as it is the third leading cause of death.
Willie Miller chose not to be a contributor to this statistic. A dedicated employee of the United States Postal Service, Willie felt fine as he traveled his route Monday, October 15, singing and whistling in his truck as he delivered the mail to his customers. It wasn’t until he approached one of the last boxes on his route that he noticed a change.
“The fingers in my right hand started tingling, and I couldn’t put the mail into the box,” Willie said. “Then I could hear my brain talking and whistling and singing, but I couldn’t make any sounds. When I’m in my truck I’m always singing, so it scared me when I couldn’t.”
Willie tried doing exercises outside his truck to see if it might help, but his efforts were in vain. He came across a fellow postal worker on another route and communicated to him through signs that he was not feeling well. His friend took him back to the post office on Old Milton Parkway in Alpharetta.
“My first instinct was to go home and rest, but when my friend Tony at the post office saw me and saw that I couldn’t even drink anything, he convinced me to stay so he could call 911.”
Paramedics took Willie to the Emergency Room at North Fulton Regional Hospital, where doctors immediately responded with tPA, a drug used during the critical stages of heart attacks and strokes. According to the American Stroke Association, if given promptly (within three hours after the start of symptoms) tPA can significantly reduce the effects of ischemic stroke and reduce permanent disability. The drug works by dissolving blood clots and allowing blood flow to properly resume.
“I didn’t want to take it [tPA] because I didn’t know what it was,” Willie said. “So I asked the nurse to call my doctor, even my mother, and they both told me to take it. So I did.” Willie was taken to his room around 8 p.m., at which time he felt back to his old self.
“This all started around 4:30 in the afternoon. By the time I took the medicine and got settled into my room, I was all better—not just a little better—I felt like I was back to myself again. This really was a blessing.”
Physical and Speech Therapists visited Willie in his room to assess his functioning and found no problems…he truly was back to his old self.
Willie’s story shows that recognition of symptoms and responding to them is critical when dealing with a potentially life-threatening situation. Had he gone home to rest (as he first had planned), his outcome might not have been so positive. He had bigger things on his mind than himself, however, which pushed him to pay attention to his body.
“When I was in the truck, all I could think about were my kids. They gave me the motivation to go on. Now I have to work on myself,” Willie explained. “Eat healthy exercise, and take my medications. That’s what I didn’t do before…I stopped taking my blood pressure and cholesterol medications because they were easy to overlook.” Now that Willie is on the other side of his stroke, he is committed to living a healthy life in response to his wake up call. And while he didn’t originally think his story was any big deal, he wants to help spread the message.
“If my story can help someone else, it needs to be told.”
The Stroke Center at North Fulton Regional Hospital is dedicated to helping patients achieve outcomes like Willie’s. The 24-hour center, certified by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations, has a team that includes Neurologists with expertise in Stroke; Neurosurgeons; a Stroke Coordinator; Neuroscience, Critical Care, Acute Care and Rehabilitation Nurses; 24 hr Radiology, Laboratory and Pharmacy services; Physical Therapy; Occupational Therapy; Speech Language Pathology; and Case Managers. The goal of the Stroke Center is to return patients to the highest level of function and quality of life possible.
For more information on the Stroke Center at North Fulton Regional Hospital, call the Stroke Coordinator at 770-751-2708, or visit www.northfultonregional.com/stroke.
This testimonial reflects the experience and outcomes of this patient. Each case is different and must be independently evaluated and managed. Actual experiences and outcomes will vary.