Brownwood Regional Medical Center (BRMC) is celebrating May as National Stroke month by sharing a success story of a co-worker.
Sunday Sanders, Cardiac Monitor Tech, has a new motto of, Educate, Educate and Educate more! Calling 911 in the event of any sudden change in a medical condition or a medical crisis could save a life. I saved my own life through education I received about stroke. As reminder, consider living your life with regrets because you did not make the 911 call when you noticed a sudden change in yourself or others around you. I also know, this simple task is often a huge struggle because you don’t want to be a bother to others or you think the condition will pass or you consider driving yourself to the ER. No call 911! I called 911 because I knew something was not right with me. I also knew that the EMS providers could begin treatment upon arrival of the scene. To the ER staff and to the public, it’s all about education and being proactive about you and your family’s health.
I am Sunday Sanders, BRMC Monitor Tech and I am a stroke survivor. All I can say is, know the warning signs of a stroke, they saved my life! I have shared my survival story many times and people are shocked. I am not only standing in front of them, but I am able to speak with no residual sign of a stroke; except, for the bad hair-cut.
First of all, I am truly blessed and the Lord is due all credit for this miracle. I am alive and well; however, the Lord helps those who help themselves. I am living proof of that statement!
I have worked at Brownwood Regional Medical Center (BRMC) for about 8 years. I must admit that when the annual mandatory education is due it is very time consuming and stressful. I understand the purpose to educate about new processes and refresh on other topics. It was that time and I was less than enthusiastic about completing the courses. As BRMC prepares to become a Primary Stroke Center, I know first-hand education to the public is important.
The mandatory educational topic that saved my life was on strokes and heart attacks/cardiac arrest.
I thought; oh great, more training! I felt inconvenienced and a little overwhelmed. None the less, I began the training and was surprised at what I had learned, e.g. there are 2 types of strokes: Hemorrhagic: a bleed / aneurysm and Ischemic: a clot.
I also learned the signs of a stroke: facial paralysis (crooked smile), muscle weakness / loss of control, blurred vision, headache, nausea, inability to speak, difficulty swallowing (frequent choking on fluids and foods, confusion and problems with balance.
Little did I know, this particular training would literally save my life! I will never forget, December 22, 2018, lying on the couch, watching the Big Bang Theory when my son came in from an outing. He told me he loved me and was going to bed. I told him I loved him and how great it was to have him home for the holidays because he was on Christmas leave from the military.
About 20 minutes after he went to bed, I felt a sudden onset of a headache, followed instantly with nausea. This headache wasn’t a sinus headache, it was different. I am commonly asked, “How was the headache different?” I cannot describe the difference, but when the instant nausea set in, I remembered, from the stroke training, that I was in trouble.
I called 911 and told them that I was having a stroke, I went to the bedroom where my son had fallen asleep and cried out, “Phoenix, get up, I’m having a stroke.” I frightened him with my yelling and he jumped up and followed me to the couch. He elevated my feet and moved the coffee table away waiting for the EMS arrival.
When EMS arrived, I told them, “The onset was at 08:55, I called 911 at 09:00.” From my recent education, I knew that time passing was not good with a stroke. That is all I remember. When I woke up, it was January 3rd, 2019, and the nurse was pulling the NG tube from my nose that had been placed into my stomach. I had been transported by EMS to BRMC where the assessed my condition. I was air care flighted transported by helicopter to The Brain and Spine Institute / Medical City Texas Stroke Institute, Fort Worth, where I had multiple surgeries. First, they drilled a hole into my skull to relieve the pressure the blood was placing on my brain from the ruptured aneurysm.. Second, they accessed and repaired my ruptured aneurysm by accessing a vessel my groin. They specialty doctors placed and coiled the aneurysm to stop further the bleeding. Last but not least, third they placed a tube into my brain to relieve the elevated pressure
I spent several days in ICU and soon was well enough not to require such intense care and was allowed to be cared for in a medical unit. Thankfully this allowed me to be able to move around cautiously. I soon was walking the halls, eating well, and progressing at an amazing pace.
After several doctors’ visits, it was determined I had no deficits, meaning that I was soon back to my normal routine and playing with the kids! I think often, what if I had ignored the symptoms, and neglected to call 911. The reality is that my son probably would have woken to find a shell of a woman, or a corpse.
Thankfully, I was discharged to go home, on January 7th, 2019, but, the most amazing part, no physical therapy, no home health, and no restrictions.
I am grateful to the Lord for keeping me safe, for giving me an ER family with the knowledge to assess my needs, the doctors and nurses the skills to make my recovery a success, and to BRMC for empowering me to make the informed decision to call 911.
I am currently back to work, again with no restrictions, I live alone, I do my own yard work, and I am working on a healthy life style. This event however, has made me question my mortality. I am making changes that will hopefully make the days that I have remaining more, productive and enjoyable.
I consider myself privileged to tell this story, instead of lying in a bed paralyzed, comatose, or even worse becoming a burden to my family.
Instead, I am telling this successful story about how I recognized the symptoms and acted quickly. I praise those who cared for me; which gave me the chance for a happy ending.
If this story makes one person to take mental notes about the signs and symptoms of stroke; then, it has been worth it.
I cannot emphasize enough, “Take the time to learn the signs; it was life saving for me.”
My name is Sunday Sanders, and “I am a Stroke Survivor!”
