Juan Carlos' Stroke Survivor Story
When 35-year-old Juan Carlos decided to go for a run one evening, the last place he expected to end up was in the hospital. But that’s exactly what happened after he suddenly collapsed.
“I tried to get up a few times and I could not get up,” he recalls. “There was a lady that found me, and she said, ‘Oh, do you need help?’ I tried to tell her yes. She understood what I was saying, and she called an ambulance.”
The ambulance rushed him to Washington Regional Medical Center, where he was met by members of Washington Regional’s stroke team. They determined Juan’s symptoms were caused by an ischemic stroke. Ischemic strokes occur when a blood clot blocks an artery leading to the brain. They are the most common type of stroke and can happen at any age.
Washington Regional Medical Center is the only Comprehensive Stroke Center in the region and one of only three hospitals in Arkansas to achieve certification as a Comprehensive Stroke Center by The Join Commission. Washington Regional provides the highest level of stroke care in Northwest Arkansas and is the only hospital in the region to provide 24/7 in-person care from stroke experts specially trained in stroke diagnosis, care and rehabilitation.
Juan immediately underwent a thrombectomy, which is a minimally invasive procedure to remove the blood clot. During a thrombectomy, a tiny tube, or catheter, is inserted into the artery through the groin. The catheter is used to deliver a small device that removes the clot to restore blood flow to the brain. Juan says he was surprised to learn how doctors performed the procedure.
“I started feeling my head and asking where did surgery. One of my nurses said, ‘I'll show you,’ and she pointed to my leg. They came from my leg all the way to my brain.”
Juan recovered in Washington Regional’s Neurosurgical Intensive Care Unit – the only one of its kind in Northwest Arkansas. Just two days after his stroke, Juan was able to go home. He’s now back to his normal routine and enjoys spending time with his children.
“I am really thankful somebody found me, and they brought me here and they took the clot out. And I can move and do all the things I used to do. I've been told this is the best hospital around the state. It's so important that the doctors have all the equipment, all the technology, that they can save our lives. I'm really thankful and thank you so much for all they did help me to be where I am right now.”