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| Cristwood Park in Shoreline Photo courtesy Crista |
A long-retired school teacher (name withheld for privacy concerns), now residing at Cristwood Park Independent Senior Living, Shoreline, was having a normal day.
Visited by two of her former co-teachers, she was showing off a beautiful quilt heralding the many primary students of long ago.
Suddenly, in mid-sentence, her voice stopped, and she was immobile. Her visiting teachers, well-trained in the King County system of first aid & CPR, asked if she could talk - - nothing. Could she smile - - it was somewhat distorted, could she raise her arms -- she couldn’t.
Within a minute, they had contacted 9-1-1 and given a crisp report of a likely stroke. Based on that call, a ‘Rapid-Transport’ alarm to Shoreline Fire brought aid unit A164 and engine E164 to the scene. Crista staff directed the crews to her side. Residents in the lobby started an immediate prayer chain.
After quickly assessing the patient, responders loaded her on the gurney, and transported code red to the nearest hospital – Swedish Edmonds. Staff met her and performed the requisite scan, which confirmed a clot (not an aneurysm bleed), and the dangerous wonder thrombolytic drug, rTPA (recombinant tissue plasminogen activator) was administered.
After quickly assessing the patient, responders loaded her on the gurney, and transported code red to the nearest hospital – Swedish Edmonds. Staff met her and performed the requisite scan, which confirmed a clot (not an aneurysm bleed), and the dangerous wonder thrombolytic drug, rTPA (recombinant tissue plasminogen activator) was administered.
She quickly regained the ability to talk, and followed arm/hand motion commands. All this was inside of 59 minutes, maximizing her chances for a FULL recovery.
Our grateful thanks to those in that rescue chain – the lay rescuer, the dispatcher, the fire team, the compliant move-over traffic, and the Emergency Department team – all focused on rapid interventions to shave precious seconds and minutes off her crisis condition!
She is back at her residence, being her normal self and enjoying her friends & family.
We must acknowledge the King County EMS system that conducted the original clinical trials of the drug - before the turn of the century, that also teaches Medic 2 skills to students and workers – anyone who will take the training developed by American Heart & Stroke, as well as American Red Cross.
Our grateful thanks to those in that rescue chain – the lay rescuer, the dispatcher, the fire team, the compliant move-over traffic, and the Emergency Department team – all focused on rapid interventions to shave precious seconds and minutes off her crisis condition!
She is back at her residence, being her normal self and enjoying her friends & family.
We must acknowledge the King County EMS system that conducted the original clinical trials of the drug - before the turn of the century, that also teaches Medic 2 skills to students and workers – anyone who will take the training developed by American Heart & Stroke, as well as American Red Cross.
It is great to know that young students are becoming Healthcare emergency experts. Too many vacancies have arisen and we need trained people to fill them.
ReplyDeleteThe greater Seattle area is one of the best places in the country to have a stroke because of the top-notch EMS services and hospitals. My father lived at Crista for 4 years following a major stroke in Arizona. If he had had immediate evaluation and treatment, he would have been spared the devastating consequences of his stroke.
ReplyDeleteDo not forget the prayer team.
ReplyDeleteVote more funding for EMS!
ReplyDelete