By Caroline Neal
The Journal Times
RACINE, Wis. 鈥� Ascension All Saints Hospital on Friday recognized its medical staff and paramedics from the Racine Fire Department for their quick response treating Martin L. Walker Sr.
During the event, the Ascension Wisconsin Prehospital Team recognized first responders for their efforts.
鈥淎t the heart of this program is the challenge coin 鈥� a symbol of outstanding service and commitment,鈥� said Dr. Joseph Humphrey, an emergency medicine doctor at Ascension. 鈥淩eceiving a challenge coin is a significant honor, symbolizing excellence and an unwavering commitment to serving the community.鈥�
On Feb. 17, paramedics brought Walker to the Emergency Department after recognizing stroke symptoms. Within 22 minutes of Walker鈥檚 arrival, All Saints medical staff diagnosed and administered tenecteplase or TNK, a drug that treats blood clots and strokes.
鈥淢artin got here just before the timetable would expire to use the rescue medicine we call the clot buster,鈥� Humphrey said. 鈥淗e got here just in the nick of time. If he would have waited 30 minutes more, we wouldn鈥檛 have been able to give him the medicine.鈥�
According to Humphrey, TNK only can be used within a few hours.
鈥淏ut if you wait too long, we can鈥檛 use it because the risks go up,鈥� he said.
For Dr. Pramit Bhasin, a neurohospitalist and director of the stroke program, this response was the result of a 鈥渨ell-orchestrated plan鈥� that Ascension put into effect.
Humphrey said that Ascension鈥檚 stroke protocols are set up to allow paramedics who identify the symptoms to activate the alert ahead of time, which allows the medical team to prepare.
鈥淭hey come about 10 feet in from the ambulance door, and we鈥檙e on them 鈥� nursing and doctors and staff. We鈥檙e right there,鈥� Humphrey said. 鈥淲e鈥檝e sped things up real quickly.鈥�
When Walker arrived, he couldn鈥檛 speak clearly and was paralyzed on his left side and in one of his eye muscles, causing his eyes to cross when he looked in a certain direction.
Quickly making assessments in stroke cases is important, Bhasin said, because 鈥渢ime is brain.鈥�
鈥淯nlike your other body tissues, brain tissue if it dies, it doesn鈥檛 regenerate,鈥� Bhasin said. 鈥淪o for us, that is an immediate crisis that we have to resolve very quickly for the patient.鈥�
Indeed, Bhasin said that within two minutes of administration, he could see 鈥渢he stroke symptoms resolving,鈥� with Walker regaining movement in his left arm and leg.
His speech, which had been slurred, also improved over the next couple days.
鈥淚t was revolutionary the amount of function he got back鈥� within 30 minutes of administering the drug, Humphrey said.
鈥淓ven though at the end, he had minor residual strokes that were very small, he had healed from them considerably because of the prompt action,鈥� Bhasin said.
For Walker, being at Friday鈥檚 event was 鈥渉eart-lifting,鈥� and he was 鈥済rateful鈥� and 鈥渂lessed鈥� to have everyone in attendance, especially the paramedics.
鈥淭hey carried me out in a chair from my house,鈥� he said. 鈥淔or them to do that and get me here on time 鈥� it鈥檚 just a blessing. It鈥檚 just a touch of the heart.鈥�
Seeing Walker at the event 鈥� 鈥渉ealthy, living his life, enjoying himself鈥� 鈥� was significant, Bhasin said, and 鈥渨hat makes this endeavor so worthwhile.鈥�
鈥淭hese are the defining moments that I feel I wear the white coat for,鈥� Bhasin said. 鈥淚n medicine, there are outcomes sometimes that are unexpected, but on days like this, it reinforces why we all chose medicine.鈥�
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