Elizabeth Cunningham, a Winter Texan from Ohio, staying at Fun & Sun RV Park in San Benito is enjoying life two-and-a-half years after the day she was rushed to Valley Baptist Hospital in Harlingen after collapsing on the couch at her home - the victim of a stroke.
Fortunately Cunningham reached the emergency room well within the three-hour time span for a stroke reversing medication to be effective. Emergency room physicians at Valley Baptist, in consultation with neurologist Victoria Parada, administered the life-saving TPA to Cunningham as she faded in and out of consciousness.
"It was very frustrating right after the stroke," recalled Cunningham, who is now 73. "I could hear the doctors and nurses ask me questions. I knew the answers and I wanted to say the answers but when I tried to talk, I just made sort of funny sounds…so I stopped trying to talk."
Less that 24 hours later, Cunningham woke up from a nap alert and, much to her surprise, she was able to talk once again.
Following successful treatment of her stroke, Cunningham said she’s "had no more problems as far as stroke." She has been able to resume activities at Fun & Sun such as cross-stitching, which would not have been possible without quick treatment with the stroke-reversing medication.
"I cannot emphasize enough how important it is to know the time when a stroke occurs and to get to the hospital as soon as you can," Cunningham added.
When strokes strike, every second counts. Stroke is the third leading cause of death in the United States but many lives could be saved if patients sought emergency care sooner, as Mrs. Cunningham did. TPA, a "tissue plasminogen activator," dissolves clots that block blood and keep it from flowing to the brain. The sooner treatment begins, the better chances are for survival without disabilities. However, the medication only works if it is given within three hours after a stroke begins.
Warning signs of a stroke are sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg–especially on one side of the body. Sudden confusion with trouble speaking or understanding is another sign. Having trouble seeing in one or both eyes, sudden trouble walking, dizziness, or loss of balance or coordination are also signs. Sudden severe headaches with no known cause can be a sign of a stroke.
Stroke is a medical emergency. Medical experts advise the stroke victim to call 911 immediately. If he or she is unable to respond, those nearby should make the call.
"Our continuum of care for stroke patients includes patient access through emergency medical services and Valley Air Care (air ambulance), emergency treatment and response by our Integrated Stroke Code Team, treatment through the Stroke Unit and Neuro-Intensive Care Unit, and inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation services help in the patient’s recovery," said Dr. Victoria Parada, Cunningham’s doctor.
Dr. Parada noted that seven out of 10 victims of stroke do not get the proper treatment they need after symptoms of stroke begin. "Seventy percent don’t reach the hospital within three hours after symptoms of a stroke begin because they lack awareness of the importance of prompt recognition and treatment of stroke symptoms. Every minute spent without treatment means more brain cells die," she said
Risk factors for stroke include high blood pressure, heart disease, smoking, diabetes, and high cholesterol. Controlling these risk factors can decrease the likelihood of a stroke.
For more information, Winter Texans should contact their doctors or go online to www.ValleyBaptist.net.