A Thanksgiving to remember: Swift action and comprehensive care get this stroke survivor home in time to celebrate the holiday with his family
On a Monday in November 2021, a week before Thanksgiving, the Gore family was enjoying a quiet evening at home. Kathy Gore was watching television in bed. Her daughter and two teenaged grandchildren were tuning in to their own show out in the living room. Before long, Kathy’s husband Clarence joined her. He went about his normal nighttime routine and then slid under the covers, ready to tuck into a book before falling asleep. It was then that Kathy heard the crash — her husband of 47 years had fallen on the floor in between the bed and the nightstand.
“My daughter ran in, called 911 and together we were trying to help him up,” says Kathy. “But he kept wanting to lay back down and we couldn’t understand anything he was saying. He was in bad shape — it was terrifying.”
What had started out as a peaceful evening had suddenly transformed into an emergency situation. Kathy and her family didn’t know it yet, but Clarence had just suffered a stroke.
Time is brain
Strokes happen when blood vessels — which carry oxygen and other nutrients to the brain — either rupture or become blocked. When it comes to stroke treatment, it’s all about time. In fact, there is a saying that goes “time is brain” because delays in medical care following stroke symptoms increase the likelihood a person will die or experience permanent damage to the brain. In fact, strokes are a leading cause of both death and disability in the United States.
In Clarence’s case, care was both swift and thorough. At the hospital where he was first taken, tests revealed a blood clot was obstructing the flow of blood to his brain, interfering with his ability to move, see, speak and swallow. Clarence was then immediately transported to MultiCare Tacoma General Hospital, a state-designated Level One Stroke Center, where he underwent a successful surgery to remove the clot.
“The nurses at Tacoma General — everyone we interacted with — were just great,” says Kathy. “They treated my husband with respect, and they kept me well-informed the whole time. We felt like we were in good hands.”
A speedy recovery
After surgery, Clarence spent four days recuperating in the intensive care unit where he received speech, occupational and physical therapy. He was released from the hospital in time to spend Thanksgiving with his family and has since made a full recovery. Semi-retired, Clarence is back on the job as a maintenance manager at Holy Family School in Lacey and continues to play golf with his friends.
“My husband is a quiet man by nature, but just before Thanksgiving he came in and thanked me and my daughter for acting so quickly and saving his life. It brought tears to my eyes,” says Kathy.
Know the signs of a stroke
It’s critical to get to the hospital as soon as possible if you or a loved one is experiencing stroke symptoms. The abbreviation BE FAST can help you remember the common signs of a stroke and what to do:
B = Balance: Has the person had a sudden loss of balance?
E = Eye: Has the person lost vision?
F = Face: Does the person’s face look uneven or droop to one side?
A = Arm: If you ask the person to raise their arms, does one arm hang down?
S = Speech: Is the person’s speech slurred?
T = Time: Call 911 now if any of these signs are present.
If you or someone or you know is having a stroke, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advises against driving to the hospital yourself. It’s best to wait for an ambulance so that emergency medical professionals can administer life-saving treatment on the way to the hospital.
Learn more about MultiCare’s nationally recognized stroke program.
