“NTI was terrific – everyone was right on top of things”
It was just a normal day at work for Bruce Pollack – and then, suddenly and unexpectedly, it wasn’t. Pollack, age 60, was having a stroke.
“I was supposed to be on a conference call,” Pollack said. “I hadn’t called because I was having a problem with my computer entering the access codes for the call. My partner called me and he could tell something was wrong. When he asked a question, I would pause 3 or 4 seconds to respond. I grew up in New England, so I tend to talk faster than Southerners.”
The slow responses were enough to prompt his partner to call Pollack’s wife, who in turn phoned her husband.
“After we talked, she said she’d call 911,” he said. “I told her I’d call 911 myself, so I’d get in for treatment quickly. I have a fire station and EMS not far away, and they were here in 4 minutes. As they were wheeling me out they said, ‘We are taking you to St. David’s downtown.”
Realizing the urgency of Pollock’s condition, the EMS technicians took him to St. David’s NeuroTexas Institute at St. David’s Medical Center, which is a Certified Primary Stroke Center that offers the latest, most innovative techniques for assessing and treating patients suffering from a stroke.
Prompt action is imperative whenever someone shows signs of a stroke, which include a sudden loss of vision, facial droop, weakness or sensation changes in an arm or leg, or difficulty speaking.
“I was completely aware of what was going on – the only trouble was difficulty concentrating and left arm numbness,” Pollack said. “But it became obvious something was out of the norm. Based on what happened, and the minimal symptoms, it could have been much more serious if I had not acted as I did.”
Pollack had suffered an ischemic stroke, where the blood supply to the brain is obstructed by a clot, cutting off the supply of oxygen. After reviewing an MRI, NeuroTexas Institute physicians consulted with Pollock’s wife and made the decision to administer the “clot busting” drug tPA.
“NTI was terrific – everyone was right on top of things,” Pollock said. He’s also glad he sought help right away. “Don’t take it lightly. My initial reaction was I didn’t want to put people out, didn’t want to be a bother. But I learned and I am so thankful that I did what I did. Don’t be afraid to call 911.”
