Connie’s Close Call: The Importance of Stroke Awareness

On what began as an ordinary afternoon, Connie’s life took an unexpected turn. After finishing a phone call, Connie started to head downstairs to where her husband Brad was taking a nap. That’s when the first sign appeared.

Brad groggily asked her a question, and instead of giving a clear response, “I just came out with gibberish,” Connie recalled. “And I think he sensed something at that point. But I sat down in a chair, and we both fell asleep.”

Connie’s nephew called shortly after, and when she tried to talk to him, she again couldn’t form coherent words. Alarmed, he called Connie’s sister to tell her he thought Connie was having a stroke. Around the same time, her grandson Isaac arrived. After talking with her, she remembers him looking at her strangely and saying, “Grandma, I think you should go to the ER. Brad also thought I was having a stroke and that we should go to the ER.”

Recognizing the Signs of Stroke

Registered Nurse Ellie VanEnk, Perham Health’s stroke and trauma RN specialist, explains, “A stroke is when an area of your brain isn’t getting the proper blood flow. A clot or a bleed can cause this.”

“It was great that Connie’s family members recognized that she was having a stroke and got her help immediately. At Perham Health, we teach people BE FAST – Balance (difficulty walking, feeling unsteady, feeling dizzy), Eyes (vision changes), Face (drooping), Arms (arm or leg weakness), Speech (slurred or difficulty talking), Terrible headache. Time to call 911,” says Ellie.

Connie and her husband first headed to the Ottertail Clinic. Brad went inside and talked to the staff about Connie’s condition. They told him to take her straight to the emergency department and that they would call ahead to let them know that it sounded like a stroke.

Rapid Response When Time Matters Most

When Connie arrived, a team of six was waiting at the door. “I just remember one fellow saying, ‘We’re going to be moving fast,'” Connie said. She was whisked away immediately. The ER staff began testing her speech and took her in for a CT scan. “They gave me a list of words to say, but I couldn’t,” she recalled. Everything was moving quickly—a whirlwind of coordinated action.

Ellie explains, “Timely intervention is critical in the management of stroke. For ischemic (clot) strokes, there is a narrow window of approximately 4.5 hours from symptom onset to administer thrombolytic therapy (Teneceteplase) to restore blood flow and minimize neurological damage. In select cases, surgical or endovascular interventions may be effective for up to 24 hours, particularly for large vessel occlusions. The sooner treatment is initiated, the greater the chance of preserving brain function and improving patient outcomes.”

A clot caused Connie’s stroke, so they gave her a clot-busting medication via IV. Within minutes of receiving the treatment, her speech began to return. “I could talk pretty normal again—it was just a matter of minutes.”

The ER team prepped Connie for transport to Fargo by ambulance for continued care. When she arrived at Sanford Health, there was another medical team ready to receive her. Another CT scan followed, and her niece, who works at Sanford, joined her for support.

They eventually took her to a hospital room for monitoring and observation. Nurses checked on Connie every 15 minutes throughout the night, asking her questions like her name, her husband’s name, and the date. By the next day, these check-ins became less frequent as she continued to get better.

A Full Recovery and a Grateful Heart

After a two-day hospital stay, Connie went home. Despite having a stroke, she has had no lasting effects.

Reflecting on the experience, Connie is deeply grateful for the quick and capable actions of the medical professionals who treated her. “Perham Health saved my life,” she said. “They didn’t waste any time—someone was doing something to me the whole time.” She expressed similar praise for the staff in Fargo, noting that her care there was also excellent. She is thankful to have a clinic and a hospital nearby.

Elli agrees, “A stroke is a medical emergency where getting help quickly is critical, and Connie’s family reacted quickly. Everyone should know BEFAST to help recognize the warning signs of a stroke and save a life.”

For Connie, every second counted—and thanks to her family and the staff at Perham Health, she’s here to tell her story.