| Lillian Pulliam called one of her daughters
to help get her husband in the car and immediately got Pulliam to the hospital. She knew
time was the key and that the sooner they arrived, the better his chances of recovery.
‘‘They were wise to get
Mr. Pulliam in as quickly as they did,’’ said Dr. Dennis Hill, a board-certified
neurologist who heads up Rowan Regional’s Stroke Team. ‘‘He’s doing
great and made a remarkable recovery.’’
Stroke is the third leading cause
of death in the United States and the No. 1 cause of adult disability. Last year, doctors
estimated more than 700,000 Americans suffered strokes; and more than a third of them died
or experienced long-term impairment.
To provide immediate attention
when stroke victims arrive in the emergency room, Rowan Regional developed a Stroke Team,
to respond quickly and to offer patients who qualify a chance to participate in a clinical
trial.
Pharmaceutical companies like
Glaxo Wellcome developed the first in a series of new medicines that may reduce disability
after a stroke. Last April, Rowan Regional was one of 120 medical centers in the United
States and Canada to participate in the clinical trial to evaluate the effectiveness of
the new neuroprotective drugs.
Since that time, more drugs have
been added to those being tested and administered. But Hill warns that stroke victims have
to get to the hospital or dial 911 as soon as they recognize the signs.
Some stroke symptoms are:
- One-sided weakness, numbness, or
paralysis
- Blurred or decreased vision
- Problems speaking or understanding
- Dizziness or loss of balance
- Sudden severe or unexplained
headache
Hill also remembers the evening
Harvey Pulliam came into the ER. Hill says Pulliam sustained a moderate stroke, which
could have left him permanently disabled.
‘‘There is no question
Mr. Pulliam’s stroke could have left him paralyzed. He got to the hospital in time.
We’re hoping these trial drugs will eventually eliminate more of those disabilities
caused by a stroke,’’ Hill said. ‘‘The most important thing is to get
down the warning signs and get to the emergency room. Time is brain.’’
Hill often repeats the slogan:
‘‘Time is brian,’’ which he says means the longer you wait, the more
damage you’ll have.
A stroke or ‘‘brain
attack’’ causes the brain cells in the area of injury to die, releasing a
substance that can damage or kill surrounding brain cells in a slower reaction called
secondary injury.
‘‘The longer patients
wait to get to a hospital after a stroke, the more cells die,’’ Hill said.
‘‘The brain cells will survive for about three hours following an attack. If
patients can get to the emergency room within that time, many times we can reverse things.
Time is brain.
‘‘The sooner you get to
the hospital, the less likely you are to be disabled,’’ Hill said.
‘‘Although nothing is 100 percent, the chances are very good.’’
The clinical trial will help
determine if the drug will improve recovery if administered shortly after the stroke.
After administering the drugs,
Hill and a team of doctors determine the severity of the stroke and the levels of
disability.
Since the drugs are on a trial
basis, they are still under study and may be for some time. Hill says he doesn’t know
if Pulliam received a placebo or the actual drug on the night he suffered the moderate
stroke.
The Pulliams say they have no
doubt his recovery can be attributed to the ‘‘miraculous’’ effects of
the drug.
‘‘I know I got the
actual drug,’’ Pulliam says. ‘‘I would be in a lot worse shape. I know
people who have had strokes and didn’t recover. It had to be the drug.’’
The doctor recalls Pulliam’s
decreased feeling on the left side of body, his lack of strength and slurred speech on the
night he came in.
‘‘The left side of face
was paralyzed when we saw him then,’’ Hill continued as he referred to
Pulliam’s medical chart.
Lillian is making sure her husband
doesn’t smoke and watches what he eats.
‘‘And I eat all the
time,’’ says the tall lanky man with a big grin.
‘‘The smoking was my
main concern,’’ she said. ‘‘I didn’t want him to pick up another
cigarette.’’
And he says he hasn’t.
Pulliam says he values his life more than a puff on a cigarette.
Today, Pulliam, is continuing his
regular visits to the hospital so doctors can monitor his progress and he says they see
definite signs of improvement. He continues to use a stiff piece of clay as therapy to
strengthen the movement in his hand and arm that was given to him by doctors.
Pulliam says he has plans for more
fishing and yard work, and he wants to spend more time with his grandchildren. He also
plans to build cabinets as a form of recreation, thanks to Rowan Regional’s dynamic
Stroke Team and the new trial medication.
‘‘There is no doubt in
my mind that drug and those doctors helped me,’’ Pulliam said. ‘‘I
also know I continue to live each day with the good Lord above.’’ |
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