Brownwood News – Around noon on May 17th 2018 Anthony Reine, BRMC Food Service Supervisor was working on his computer at home when he began to feel numbness in his right arm. As with many people, the first response was to ignore the symptoms. The possible ailments began running through his mind but he wanted to DENY what was happening. The initial numbness progressed to inability to lift or move his right arm. He vividly remembers placing his left hand over his right hand to move the computer mouse to shut it down. This action was very concerning to him.
He knew something was not right, but was unsure what was happening. He and his sister drove to the local VA clinic and were immediately rushed to Brownwood Regional Medical Center (BRMC) Emergency Room by ambulance. Anthony recalls hearing the ambulance crew report on the radio to the ER that a male patient was having a stroke.
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Upon arrival, Anthony was quickly evaluated, taken for CT Scan and lab work was drawn. The diagnosis was an ischemic stroke. A physician came to his bedside and began educating him about what was happening and why his symptoms were present. He did recall the specific attention given as to the time that the numbness and weakness began. The physician told Anthony he was in the “right time window” to receive “tPA”. The risks and benefits of this “clot busting medication” were discussed. The ER nurse, Amber, RN had also provided him an educational handout on tPA that explained what it was, how it was given and the potential side effects.
After the conversation about tPA, Anthony and his sister felt that this medication was the best chance he had to regain the best function of his right arm because of the stroke.
Anthony recalls that he felt comforted by the Emergency Room nurse caring for him. “Amber never left my side,” he said. The entire time she told me what to expect and kept reassuring him that the medication was working and it was the best chance to recover the use of his arm.
Anthony was transferred from the Emergency Room to the ICU. Everyone he encountered during his stay were caring nurses and staff. He also stated that, “Johnie, RN gave me a blue ball and told me to squeeze it and it would help build my strength up in my right arm and to keep it moving.”
Today Anthony is at work and able to perform his job without any difficulties.
Since his stroke he knows what the signs and symptoms of a stroke. He also knows he would immediately call 911 and not risk the time element needed to receive tPA. He is grateful for the care and compassion shown to him during his stroke diagnosis and feels comforted to know that BRMC helped save the use of his right arm.
Anthony said, “My experience provided me the education about Stroke and I know calling 911 is the best answer to receive the treatment in time! Thank you BRMC for taking excellent care of me!”
Photo – l to r-Hanna Crow, ER Nurse Tech; Amber Benson, RN ER; Anthony “Tony”Reine, Food Service Supervisor; and Johnie Robinson, RN ICU