Every Moment Counts
Prompt Response by PIH Health Helps Stroke Patient Make a Full Recovery
PIH Health patient Irma Robles.
Thanks to excellent care at PIH Health Whittier Hospital, Irma’s outcome was phenomenal. She returned home after a week in the hospital. Today, she is back tending her garden with no lingering effects from her stroke—the best possible outcome.
After trimming roses in her garden, 83-year-old Irma Robles felt weak in her knees and collapsed in her hallway. Her daughter, who works from home, witnessed the incident and came to her mother’s aid.
Irma said, “I remember my daughter asking me if I was okay, but my words were slurred.”
Irma’s daughter knew immediately that it was a stroke and that time was critical.
She called 911, and within minutes, Irma was rushed to
PIH Health Whittier Hospital’s Emergency Department (ED) for evaluation.
In the ED, Mark Farag MD, PIH Health neurologist and Irma’s treating physician, confirmed an acute ischemic stroke. She was given tenecteplase (TNK), a blood thinning medication, to dissolve the clot.
“Irma was a perfect candidate for TNK— she arrived within four hours of the stroke and we suspected where the clot had formed,” says Dr. Farag. “Within 24 hours of administering TNK, Irma gained back all her brain function and was able to make a complete recovery.”
Thanks to excellent care at PIH Health Whittier Hospital, Irma’s outcome was phenomenal. She returned home after a week in the hospital. Today, she is back tending her garden with no lingering effects from her stroke—the best possible outcome.
No doubt, the secret to Irma’s survival and full recovery was her daughter’s quick action. You can learn to recognize a stroke using the simple phrase “BE FAST”:
Balance: Is there loss of balance?
Eyes: Has the person lost vision?
Face drooping: Ask the person to smile—is it uneven?
Arm weakness: Is one arm weak or numb?
Speech difficulty: Is the person difficult to understand?
Time to call 911: If anyone shows any of these symptoms, call 911 right away.
For more information on stroke care at PIH Health, visit PIHHealth.org/Stroke
