Advancing MEL's Health

A Rude Awakening

On February 7, when Mel Linville suddenly awoke in the middle of the night, he knew something wasn’t right.

Mel Linville, a pastor for nearly 30 years, his wife Christina, and two of the couple’s three sons moved to Bloomington last October.  Aside from recent back surgery and high cholesterol, Mel was in generally good health.  He didn’t have high blood pressure and was only slightly overweight.  He was getting settled in a new church, a new town and a new home, and looking forward to the future and opportunities in Bloomington.

Around 11:30 p.m. on the night of Wednesday, February 7, 2007, Mel awoke knowing something was wrong.  He tried to speak, but could not make coherent speech.

“He was just jabbering, and his right side was completely limp,” remembers Christina, a nurse.  “I immediately suspected a stroke.”

While Christina took Mel’s blood pressure, one of her sons called 911.  To further confirm the family’s suspicions of Mel’s stroke, one of their sons asked his dad to smile.  He knew, from recently reading an article about stroke signs and symptoms, that when his dad’s face drooped on the right side, it was almost certain he was suffering a stroke.

Within 10 minutes of their call, a crew from the Bloomington Hospital Ambulance Service arrived at the Linville’s home and transported Mel to Bloomington Hospital’s Emergency Department (ED).  He arrived at the ED within 30 minutes of his first symptoms.

“The Linvilles did a great job in recognizing the signs and symptoms of stroke and knowing that this was a medical emergency,” says Jamie Bales, M.D., a board-certified neurologist on Bloomington Hospital’s medical staff and medical director of the hospital’s Stroke Team.  “By getting to the ED in such a timely manner, we were able to assess Mel and get him treatment within the first crucial hours.”

Just as the family succeeded in getting Mel quick medical attention, Bloomington Hospital’s Stroke Team collaborates to ensure care for those suffering a stroke is efficient and coordinated.

“One of the most important aspects of caring for stroke patients is ensuring we have one standard of care.  This means that no matter when a patient comes into the hospital experiencing a stroke, each person receives the same quality of care,” explains Dr. Bales.  “We have worked diligently to coordinate care throughout Bloomington Hospital, from the Emergency Department to Radiology to our Ambulance Service.”

Because of Mel’s condition upon arrival in the ED, he was immediately taken for a CT (computerized tomography) scan.  This scan would tell physicians if Mel was having a stroke and if immediate administration of a clot-busting medication was appropriate.

“The CT scan confirmed Mel was having a large ischemic stroke, one in which a vessel in the brain is blocked by a blood clot,” says Dr. Bales.  “We ordered tPA (tissue plasminogen activator), a clot-busting drug, to help alleviate Mel’s symptoms and stop the stroke.”

Soon after receiving tPA, Mel’s speech began to come back, he could move his right arm and grasp things with his right hand.  Mel moved to the hospital’s Critical Care Unit around 3 a.m. and continued to improve.

At 7 a.m., however, Mel began to show stroke symptoms again.  He lost his speech and his right side again was unusable.  A follow-up CT confirmed the blood clot in Mel’s brain was still stuck in the vessel.  Because of the dangers involved in giving more than one dose of tPA, all the Linvilles could do now was wait for the clot to pass.

Fortunately, Mel’s condition improved and by the following Monday, his family knew things were going to be okay.

“He was back.  I don’t know how I knew, but I could tell in his eyes he was back,” Christina says.  “He had little to no swelling in his brain and he’s been getting better and better.  We think this is a miracle.”

After a few days in Critical Care and the hospital’s Acute Neuro/Orthopedics Unit, Mel continued his recovery on the Acute Rehabilitation Unit.

“It’s been extremely tough,” says Mel, who still struggles with speech and finding the right words.  “I’m doing well though.”

Christina adds, “We have enjoyed the people here.  All the nurses have gone out of their way.  It’s very family-oriented and family-friendly.”

Thanks to the Linville family’s quick action and knowledge that stroke is a medical emergency, today, Mel continues his recovery at home.  He is able to spend time with his wife, sons and three grandchildren, and hopes to return to his work as a pastor.

Time is brain – Act FAST
Seconds count when you’re having a stroke

During a stroke, a blood vessel in the brain becomes blocked or a blood vessel breaks, stopping the vital flow of blood to the brain.  Almost instantly, brain cells begin to die without this supply of blood.

Stroke symptoms include sudden:

• Numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg, especially on one side of the body.

• Confusion, trouble speaking or understanding.

• Trouble seeing in one or both eyes.

• Trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination.

• Severe headache with no known cause.

To check if someone is having a stroke, use the FAST check below.  Call 911 immediately if you suspect a stroke.

Facial droop
Arm drift
Speech
Time of onset