Furniture? We don't need no furniture!

[Editor note: this is an essay written by one of our frequent blog contributors, Chuck Hofvander. Chuck is a two time stroke survivor and likes to write essays to keep his mind sharp. This is one essay he wrote after his stroke about an experience he had before his stroke.]

by Chuck Hofvander

It was Saturday, I didn’t have anything to do and I was bored so I decided to go a furniture auction. The auction was being held at a local outlet furniture store that was going out of business. Liz and I had bought furniture there before but some of it was really high priced, out of our price range, so I thought going to an auction was good idea.

I went to the store when it opened, sat down, and waited to see how the process of an auction went; I had never been to an auction before. My heavens, the furniture was going at prices far below the list price! The bidders were signaling the auctioneer by waving their hands, raising their fingers, and blinking; however none were standing up.

Liz and I bought few things at retail prices. The few exceptions were our chair, love seat, and sofa for the livingroom, our kitchen chairs, and our bedroom set. All the rest was bought at either a discount, used, or things we inherited. Not that we were cheap but frugal with our money.

I bought an arm chair by waving my hand and was the winner! Wow! Liz had got to get into this!

This was before cell phones so I got in the car, went home and told Liz that she wouldn’t believe the prices; our home was furnished but we couldn’t resist a bargain! Could you?

We went, won the bidding on an end table, roll top desk, and a butler table. I thought we were done but Liz had seen a large, very large, curio cabinet, so large I doubted we could it get through any of our outside doors. Liz said we should bid but it was out of our price range, the list price was over $6,000. Liz was insistent but we agreed that we were not going over $500.

The curio was ugly, dirty and covered with dust and the monster was brought to the stage. It required four men to carry the thing. The bidding started at $100 and a man immediately waved his hand, another followed by blinking, and the bidding continued. Liz was active in the bidding. The curio eventually reached our limit of $500. I was relieved.  Now I didn’t have to face the problem of getting it into our house.

Liz sat there nervously, fidgeting, and twitching. The bidding went on to $550, $570, $600, $650 and then there was a sound, a sound so loud kids from across the street jumped, people at the auction were frightened and the auctioneer hid!  It was Liz! Liz jumped out of her seat, waved her arms, and screamed like a lunatic $700! Everyone was stunned. We won the bidding.

I, with the help of six friends, got the monster into our house after several attempts to get it through out front door.

I learned three things from this:

·        Auctions are dangerous things without somebody there to keep you from bidding on things you don’t need,      

 I    It doesn’t make sense to buy furniture at retail prices,

·       
     And never, ever let Liz go to auctions without three or four adults to restrain her.

Sarah Christy Crafts

[Editor's note: Sarah Christy is a member of the camp's Board of Directors. She and her husband, Boyd, are very active with camp activities and instrumental in its founding. She and Boyd are one of the main reasons the camp is so successful.]

 by Sarah Christy

My first experience of an organized “camping- type” experience was over 40 years ago.  Boyd and I were young parents with no money when we learned about a family camp experience through our church.  Each family had their own modern cabin with all the families gathering in the dining hall for delicious meals. There was plenty of opportunities to socialize while we enjoyed the swimming pool, campfires, volleyball games and lots of other traditional camp type experiences.  At that stage of life I was thrilled that someone else was going to cook the meals and do the dishes for a week.  This experience led us to start a camp for children and young adults with cystic fibrosis and eventually  we  became involved in helping  to start stroke camp.  From these experiences has come a lifelong love of the camping/retreat experience.

Programming has always been my passion at the camp.  I love the activities we do.  Dreaming up all the fun and laughter we can offer to the survivors and caregivers is a great pleasure.   Engaging with others in games, events, music, art and crafts all allow our participants to express themselves in ways that they may have lost .

Crafts is an area that I especially enjoy.  When I try to think back to all the things we have made over the years, it is hard to remember.   Everybody loves to paint…. wooden birdhouses have always been popular.  Then we discovered gourds and we made birdhouses out of gourds, we also did shakers and bowls out of gourds and I am still looking for more gourd art.   We have done jewelry, artificial flower arrangements, wreaths, scrap-booking, cards, stepping stones, and last year we made wind chimes out of flower pots. 

Craft making is more than the item that is packed up and taken home.  Crafts gives campers an opportunity to express themselves through color and design.  One of the best parts is looking around the table and seeing all of the different ideas.  As we sit and work, we enjoy giving and receiving encouragement from others.  And encouragement is one of the best things about camp…. so we are looking forward to 2013 and what you will great to create this year.

Part Two - Mr. Johnson’s Amazing Stroke Recovery

By Chuck Jones

I’m sure you’ve been anxiously awaiting today’s blog so, today, I am presenting you with part 2 of the two part series based on an article written by Jan Jahnel RN, CNRN who is the Chief Stroke Nurse Coordinator for INI Comprehensive Stroke Center at OSF Saint Francis Medical Center in Peoria, IL.  

You can review Part One, if necessary, by clicking on its link at the right side of your screen under “Blog Archive”.  Jan wrote this in response to OSF Saint Francis Medical Center being certified as a Comprehensive Stroke Center by the Joint Commission, an independent, not-for-profit organization; The Joint Commission accredits and certifies more than 19,000 health care organizations and programs in the United States. Joint Commission accreditation and certification is recognized nationwide as a symbol of quality that reflects an organization’s commitment to meeting certain performance standards.

I have taken Jan's article and, with her permission, I have reorganized it to make it this two part series.  By doing this, I hope to impress upon you the necessity of learning the symptoms of a stroke and the urgency to act immediately after detection.  

Part Two - Mr. Johnson’s Amazing Stroke Recovery

Mr. Johnson’s Event

If you remember from last week, on a certain Wednesday morning, while working on his farm equipment, Mr. Johnson suddenly lost the use of his left arm and leg and sank down to the ground and his son acted quickly and got him to the hospital.  The medical staff at the hospital determined he had an ischemic stroke.  Four days later, he was discharged to his home with complete recovery from his stroke.

Last week I left you hanging with the question, “How did Mr. Johnson recover from his stroke so well and so quickly?”  The answer is that three very important things happened to make this possible:

1) His son, knowingly or unknowingly, applied the F.A.S.T. test I showed you in last week’s blog.  I’ll go over that again at the end of this article because it is important.  At this time I don’t know if his son even knew about F.A.S.T. but he acted as if he did.

2) His son acted quickly to get him to the hospital. As you may know, it is imperative that you get a person to the hospital and diagnosed within three hours of the onset of symptoms.  

3) The medical staff at the hospital was able to diagnose, in time, the type of stroke he had – ischemic – and administer the “clot buster” medication known as t-PA (Tissue Plasminogen Activator). 

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Now the continuation of Jan’s article:  

Because of these three things, Mr. Johnson was able to benefit from advanced treatments that followed, available at a comprehensive stroke center.  

A brain angiography was performed and the specially trained neuro-interventional surgeon discovered his carotid artery was severely blocked and a clot in the blood vessel was blocking flow to the brain tissue. A catheter was channeled inside the blocked blood vessel and the surgeon was able to open the narrowing in the carotid artery, placing a stent to keep it open.  The clot in his brain was successfully removed with special clot removal devices.  Right after the procedure, Mr. Johnson was able to move his left arm and leg well.   He was admitted to the neuroscience ICU and monitored by specially trained neuroscience nurses and staff.   

Since 1995 The Illinois Neurological Institute’s (INI) Stroke team at OSF Saint Francis Medical Center in Peoria, Illinois has saved many brains and lives like Mr. Johnson.  Equipped with the highest degree of service, dedication, compassionate care along with the most advanced diagnostic and therapeutic technology, OSF Saint Francis Medical Center is the 2^ndin the nation to be certified by the Joint Commission as a Comprehensive Stroke Center.  This certification designates OSF Saint Francis Medical Center as the destination medical facility for receiving the highest level of comprehensive care for all types of acute stroke.

Stroke is the number 4 cause of death and is the leading cause of adult disability in the United States.  However, with appropriate comprehensive treatment, a stroke may be reversed, saving a person from death or devastating permanent disability.  Every 40 seconds someone in the U.S. suffers a stroke.

               

There used to be no medical treatment for an ischemic stroke.  Treatment consisted only of preventing any further complications caused from the stroke. There was no way of restoring blood flow to the brain through the blocked blood vessel.  Without this blood flow and oxygen, permanent physical and/or mental disability is unavoidable since 1.9 million brain cells die every minute during a stroke.  Then the FDA approved the use of tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) for the treatment of acute ischemic stroke.  This medication is a clot buster that can minimize or dissolve many types of blockages in the blood vessel. This medication can restore blood flow to the blocked area of the brain.   When tPA is given to eligible patients there is a 1 in 3 chance the symptoms will improve or go away. This drug works best when given as quickly as possible after the start of symptoms.

Advances have been made in stroke treatment. People who recognize stroke symptoms and seek medical attention immediately may be eligible for more advanced stroke treatments.  The Illinois Neurological Institute at OSF Saint Francis Medical center has been providing these comprehensive treatments for several years.  Neurological interventional surgeons are able to thread a catheter inside a blood vessel to the blockage in the brain injecting a medication that allows them to visualize the clot.  Often this surgeon can dissolve the clot in the blood vessel by giving the clot busting medication directly at the clot or removing it with special devices.  If the physician identifies a segment of blood vessel narrowed by plaque or calcium, they can open the segment by placing a stent in the blood vessel in the brain.    Other treatments are performed by Vascular Neurosurgeons.  These include removing a section of skull called a craniectomy.  They can apply a clip to an aneurysm to prevent it from rupturing and can perform a carotid endarterectomy to remove plaque build-up in the large arteries in the neck.

In September 2012, the Joint Commission began recognizing hospitals that could provide the highest level of all-inclusive care.  This new designation was Comprehensive Stroke Certification.    OSF Saint Francis Medical Center is proud to have met the strict standards required to achieve this prestigious certification.  What does this mean for those experiencing a stroke?  The Illinois Neurological Institute Comprehensive Stroke Center at OSF Saint Francis Medical center offers the most advanced stroke care available anywhere.

Our passionate team of professionals can manage and treat the most complex acute strokes. We have experience in providing cutting edge treatments, interventions and surgical procedures 24/7, with minimal complications and favorable patient outcomes. We offer comprehensive stroke care beginning with the recognition of stroke symptoms through the rehabilitation process and beyond.  

Recognizing and responding quickly to the signs of stroke is the key to survival.  If you or your loved one experience any sign of stroke, such as weakness on one side of the body, droopy face, or difficulty with speaking or understanding language immediately call 911.   Ask to be taken to the emergency room at OSF Saint Francis Medical Center.  As a comprehensive stroke center, the type of treatment you receive and how fast you get it make all the difference.  You or your loved one deserve to receive the most advanced care available anytime, day or night and you get it at the Illinois Neurological Institute’s Comprehensive Stroke Center at OSF Saint Francis Medical Center.  

Submitted by Jan Jahnel RN, CNRN, Chief Stroke Nurse Coordinator, INI Comprehensive Stroke Center, OSF Saint Francis Medical Center.

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What I want you to take away from this today is to be able to apply the acronym of F.A.S.T. to help you with detection of a stroke and to get help immediately.  

F.A.S.T. is simply this:

Face – Does one side of the face droop? Ask them to smile.

Arms – Is one arm weak or numb? Ask them to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward?

Speech – Is speech slurred? Ask them to repeat a simple sentence. Is the sentence repeated correctly?

Time – If they show any of these symptoms, call 911 or get to the hospital immediately. tPa must be administered within three hours of symptom onset and that three hours includes the time the hospital needs for its diagnosis to determine if the stroke is the type that will benefit from tPA treatment.

Please pass this simple test and the sense of urgency on to others!

Tissue Plasminogen Activator (tPA) is a drug researched, and marketed exclusively, by Genentech, Inc.  Genentech, by the way, is also our major sponsor for our MegaBrain and ELSIE exhibits.  

Thank you OSF Saint Francis Medical Center and Genentech for helping us promote stroke education to thousands of  people.

Part One - Mr. Johnson’s Amazing Stroke Recovery

By Chuck Jones

Here we are into 2013 already. Today, I am starting a two part series based on an article written by Jan Jahnel RN, CNRN who is the Chief Stroke Nurse Coordinator for INI Comprehensive Stroke Center at OSF Saint Francis Medical Center, 530 N. E. Glen Oak Avenue, Peoria, IL  61637. She wrote this in response to OSF Saint Francis Medical Center being certified as a Comprehensive Stroke Center by the Joint Commission, an independent, not-for-profit organization; The Joint Commission accredits and certifies more than 19,000 health care organizations and programs in the United States. Joint Commission accreditation and certification is recognized nationwide as a symbol of quality that reflects an organization’s commitment to meeting certain performance standards.

I have taken her article and, with her permission, I have reorganized it to make it this two part series.  

By doing this, I hope to impress upon you the necessity of learning the symptoms of a stroke and the urgency to act immediately after detection.

I urge you to add this to your New Year's resolutions list.

Part One - Mr. Johnson’s Amazing Stroke Recovery

Mr. Johnson’s Event 

Wednesday morning, while working on his farm equipment, Mr. Johnson suddenly lost the use of his left arm and leg and sank down to the ground.  He could not get up.  He yelled for help but realized his words were slurred.   His son, who was nearby, came to help.  He discovered that his father had a droopy left face, was paralyzed on the left side and he immediately called 911.  Mr. Johnson was brought to OSF Saint Francis Medical Center emergency department in Peoria, Illinois and was quickly diagnosed as experiencing a devastating stroke.  The blood vessel sending blood to the right side of his brain was blocked by a clot! Fortunately he was taken to the right place, a comprehensive stroke center.  The emergency room physician, nurses and the stroke team wasted no time, knowing that every second counts in order to save his brain and his life.  A CT scan of Mr. Johnson’s brain was quickly done and reviewed.  The stroke team then knew this was due to a clot causing stroke. Four days later, he was discharged to his home with complete recovery from his stroke. 

[Let me interrupt Jan’s article here for a moment. Mr. Johnson’s son was able to do something remarkable, yet simple, that all of us need to be able to do, and that is to recognize the symptoms of stroke. What we teach 5^th graders every year as part of our copyrighted Strike Out Stroke events and what I want to teach you now is to apply the acronym of F.A.S.T. to help you with detection of a stroke. It is simply this: 

Face – Does one side of the face droop? Ask them to smile.

Arms – Is one arm weak or numb? Ask them to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward?

Speech – Is speech slurred? Ask them to repeat a simple sentence. Is the sentence repeated correctly?

Time – If they show any of these symptoms, call 911 or get to the hospital immediately.

OK, now on with Jan’s article.] 

What exactly is a stroke?

A stroke is a brain attack.  Disruption of blood flow in the brain causes death to the brain tissue.  There are different types of stroke and the diagnosis performed above is essential in order for the medical staff to know how it can be treated.

One type of stroke is called a hemorrhagic stroke.  This occurs when a blood vessel in the brain breaks and bleeding into the brain causes tissue to die.

A sub-arachnoid hemorrhage is a type of hemorrhagic stroke occurring when an aneurysm (a weakening or ballooning of the blood vessel wall) breaks. 

But the most common type is an ischemic stroke and this is the type Mr. Johnson experienced.  This occurs when blood flow to a part of the brain is blocked by a blood clot or plaque in an artery.   That area of brain dies due to the blockage of that blood vessel.

Part One Summation 

All of these different strokes require very different types of emergent treatment.  Even patients with initially minor stroke symptoms or symptoms that come and go require emergent treatment.  Without immediate and appropriate treatment, each of these strokes can progress causing worsening disability or death.

So why did Mr. Johnson recover so well and so fast? Well, I’m going to tell you next week so be sure to tune in on Monday.