Gladstone Fire and EMS receive Spot-A-Stroke Award for recognizing Northland man's stroke symptoms
By all accounts, Kurt Hinrichs of Gladstone was a healthy man in his early 50s. He worked as a CFO for a local company, exercised a few times each week, visited his doctor regularly with no sign of underlying illness, and generally felt great. However, on July 17, 2014, Kurt’s vision of healthy changed forever.
At 10:15 p.m. Kurt’s wife heard him fall out of bed. When she found him, he could not speak. He was unable to move the right side of his body, and he was gazing to the left. Thinking quickly, she called 9-1-1 and firefighter/paramedics Tyler Rawley, Tyler McCommons, Shawn Rulon and Capt. David Snarr of Gladstone Fire and EMS responded within minutes. They recognized Kurt’s stroke symptoms immediately. Once he was stabilized, Gladstone Fire and EMS transported Kurt to Saint Luke’s Hospital of Kansas City, a nationally recognized Comprehensive Stroke Center capable of treating the most complex stroke patients.
En route to Saint Luke’s, the Gladstone Fire and EMS team contacted the Saint Luke’s stroke team and upon arrival Kurt was categorized as a severe stroke. Thanks to the team’s quick thinking, Kurt arrived within the approved window of time to receive tissue plasminogen activator, or tPA, also known as the “clot-busting drug.” Neurointerventionalists at Saint Luke’s Marion Bloch Neuroscience Institute removed his clot completely. Two days later after showing dramatic improvement, Kurt declared he was ready to get back to work.
The source of Kurt’s stroke was a large clot in his middle cerebral artery. Prior to his stroke, Kurt had no warning signs or risk factors. Today Kurt exercises more frequently and has regular visits to a cardiologist. Statistically, a stroke as severe as Kurt’s often results in long-term disability, or even death. Without tPA and neuro intervention to remove the clot at Saint Luke’s, Kurt would not be able to share his story.
On Monday, June 22, 2015 Kurt Hinrichs joined a team from Saint Luke’s Marion Bloch Neuroscience Institute to present Gladstone firefighter/paramedics Tyler Rawley, Tyler McCommons, Shawn Rulon, and Captain David Snarr with a Spot-A-Stroke award for their quick thinking and recognition of a stroke. The team also received commemorative pins for their name badges.
“Every minute counts when it comes to a stroke, because every second means brain cells lost,” said Jay McClintick, neuroscience outreach at Saint Luke’s Marion Bloch Neuroscience Institute. “Thanks to Gladstone Fire and EMS’s quick thinking and recognition of stroke symptoms, Kurt ultimately received the proper care and achieved a positive outcome. Gladstone Fire and EMS is an excellent example of how EMS providers are making a huge difference in positive stroke outcomes.”
Signs and symptoms of a stroke include:
- Sudden weakness on one side of the body
- Sudden numbness on one side of the body
- Sudden loss of vision – especially in one eye
- Sudden difficulty speaking or understanding
- Sudden severe headache
When it comes to stroke, time is of the essence. If you or a loved one is experiencing symptoms, do not delay. Immediately call 911 or seek treatment at your nearest hospital emergency room.
Take our online Stroke Risk Assessment.
Learn more about Saint Luke's stroke care.