Teamwork and Timing Were the Keys to Jenny’s Stroke Recovery

It was odd that Jenny hadn’t woken up yet.

Jenny, a pediatrics nurse, was lying down for a nap after working the night shift. Her husband, George, was at work for the day, and like usual, he texted Jenny around 4 pm to wake her up. There was no response.

When there was still no answer by 6:30 pm, he texted their daughter, Olivia, to go check on Jenny. His phone rang.

“Dad, there’s something wrong with Mom.”

Jenny was slurring her words, drooling heavily and unable to get out of bed. George told Olivia to call 911 immediately. Jenny had no idea what was happening. “I thought I was talking the whole time. I never thought I was slurring my words,” she said.

EMTs arrived within two minutes, recognized the signs of stroke and alerted nearby Memorial Hospital West. By 7 pm, Jenny was on her way to the Comprehensive Stroke Center. 

Jenny was immediately taken for a CT scan, which revealed a large clot was blocking an artery near her brain. The clot was removed with a minimally invasive procedure that took about 20 minutes. Afterwards, she was able to see, move her left side and begin speaking.

Jenny went home 48 hours later, with no signs of lingering stroke effects. Jenny’s story is truly remarkable, and she and her family credit the fast teamwork of her healthcare providers, from the EMTs to the Memorial stroke care team, for her recovery.