Susan's Story: A Fast-Acting Mother and Stroke Team
While eating a fruit popsicle at her mother’s house, Susan Keith was bewildered when her right hand, which held the treat, “spontaneously” moved to the left side of her body. More concerning, her central field of sight blacked out, leaving her with only peripheral vision.
Her mother instantly perceived something was wrong. Unable to make sense of what Susan tried to tell her, she called 911. “I thought I knew what I was saying,” Susan explains. “I didn’t know how my words were coming out.”
The ambulance transported Susan to Miami Valley Hospital South, where she was evaluated for stroke, via the Premier Health TeleStroke network, by Bradley Jacobs, MD, a neurologist on the Premier Health stroke team.
Susan was administered medicine to break up the clot that blocked blood flow to her brain, before being transferred to Miami Valley Hospital. There, John B. Terry, MD, a neurointerventionist, performed a thrombectomy to remove the clot.
Within a couple of days, she “felt pretty much normal,” though with some difficulty in recalling some words. She credits her mother’s quick thinking and the speedy action of Premier Health’s stroke team in saving her life.
“Before we had these techniques to treat stroke patients, for a person with a major artery blockage, a good outcome was they didn’t die,” Dr. Terry says. “But they were almost always severely impaired. It’s really an honor to be able to do these techniques … because it really helps them out. It’s amazing to see.”
Contact Us
Our specialists are ready to help you get back to the things that matter most in your life. Find a provider near you or consult our list of related practices.
Our specialists are affiliated with:
