Urgency in Detecting a Stroke

Baptist Health Paducah: Urgency in Detecting a Stroke

Neurologist John Grubbs, MD, describes how recognizing the early signs of a stroke and getting help quickly led a Paducah patient to faster treatment and recovery.

Urgency in Detecting a Stroke Health Talks Transcript

John E. Grubbs, MD, Neurology
Stroke is a problem with part of the brain not functioning correctly, and there can be lots of different reasons that occurs. It may be a blood clot that’s thrown up there to the brain, so that it doesn’t get oxygen to that part of the brain.

Don Vancleve, Paducah, Kentucky
Myself and my three other golfers, we were at the country club playing golf. I don’t remember it, but they said that I was slurring my words, and I tried to pick up the golf club and I couldn’t pick it up. I said, “Well, you guys go ahead and play,” and I said, “I’m gonna go on home and lay down.” One of them said, “No, we’ve got an ambulance coming,” and he said, “You’re going to the hospital.”

Dr. Grubbs
When the patient comes in through the emergency room door, a CT scan of the head is done.

Vancleve
The ER doctor, after he examined me, he said, “I’m going to keep you and observe you.” So, he did and put a nurse in there with me and she saw my face, showing stroke. Within minutes, they did the clot buster drug.

Dr. Grubbs
I must say I was very proud of our nurses. They did a great job. They’re well-trained I think. We have a good program for recognizing stroke. I wanted to say how much I appreciate that.

Vancleve
We were very, very fortunate that we have a hospital like this. The people who work here are so diligent in their work.