Patient Success Stories

Every second counts during a stroke Lynwood woman trusts Ingalls with her care

Fifty-year-old Diane Luif of Lynwood is living proof that every second counts during a stroke. Luif was on her way to a Saturday evening dinner with her husband, George, and twin daughters, Cheryl and Jodi, 22, last year when she began slurring her speech. Cheryl, who is studying to be a physical therapist, became alarmed at her mother's behavior and told her father to take Luif to Ingalls.

"I love Ingalls," Luif said. "I had my twins there, received breast cancer treatment there, and feel really comfortable there." Fortunately for Luif, Ingalls is also a leader in stroke care.

In fact, Ingalls is so committed to the early treatment and prevention of stroke that it developed a Stroke Center of Excellence in the fall of 2005. In addition to integrating the services of the Emergency Department, Nursing, Radiology, Laboratory, Pharmacy, Emergency Medical Services and Rehabilitation into the stroke continuum of care, Ingalls implemented a stroke protocol to ensure that stroke patients are diagnosed and treated as quickly as possible.

"When we got to Ingalls, I couldn't get out of the car," Luif remembered. "I couldn't bear any weight on my left side."

Luif was immediately taken for a CT (computerized t mography) scan of her head, which revealed no signs of an acute stroke. She was admitted to the hospital's designated Stroke Unit for further management and evaluation. During the hospital stay, her symptoms seemingly disappeared.

"I was scheduled for an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) and MRA (magnetic resonance angiogram) study Monday morning, but I was feeling well. When they came to get me for the MRI, I got up out of bed and went right down. My left side was paralyzed."

A quick-thinking Certified Nursing Assistant at Ingalls named Jennifer Flanagan was in Luif's room at the time and quickly activated the hospital's stroke protocol. Within minutes, Luif underwent the MRI, which confirmed a stroke. She was evaluated by Engin Yilmaz, M.D., a board-certified neurologist on staff at Ingalls.

"A stroke, or brain attack, is caused by the sudden loss of blood flow to the brain or bleeding inside the head. This damage can cause paralysis, speech problems, loss of feeling, memory and reasoning problems, coma and possibly death," Dr. Yilmaz explained.

In Luif's case, the quick action not only saved her life, it spared her permanent disability. Just days after her stroke, she was discharged and began rehabilitation at Ingalls Center for Outpatient Rehabilitation (ICOR) in Calumet City.

Today, she is fully functional and experiences slight weakness on her left side only when she is tired. "It was such a blessing that I was right where I needed to be when this happened," she said. "I'm proof that every second counts when you're having a stroke."

Know the warning signs of a stroke. Look for these signs and symptoms:
• Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg,
   especially on one side of the body
• Sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding
• Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes
• Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or
   coordination
• Sudden severe headache with no known cause (frequently
   indicates a bleeding-type stroke)

What to remember if a stroke occurs:
Not all warning signs occur in every stroke. Don't ignore signs of stroke, even if they go away.

Check the time.
When did the first symptom start? You'll be asked this important question later. If you or someone with you has one or more stroke symptoms that last more than a few minutes, call 911 or the emergency medical services (EMS) number so an ambulance can quickly be sent to you.

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