Exceptional emergency care saved Debbie ’ s life
It was a morning like any other . Until Debbie Kubina developed a headache like no other . “ It was the worst I ” ve ever had ,” she said . She took Tylenol , had a bite to eat , then called her daughter and granddaughter . As soon as she got off the phone , she felt her neck stiffen . “ By that time , I couldn ’ t move my head . I had to hold it with both hands .”
She called her husband to come home , then called her daughter , who called 911 . In the ambulance on the way to Jefferson Hospital , the EMT began working to lower Debbie ’ s blood pressure , which was alarmingly high . When the ambulance pulled up at the emergency department doors , a full triage team and setup was waiting .
“ It was all hands on deck getting my blood pressure under control , ensuring medicine flowed constantly through the IV into my veins .”
She was immediately given a CT scan and MRI which revealed a brain bleed , also known as a brain hemorrhage , which is a type of stroke . “ I was petrified ,” Debbie said . “ But they reassured me that the position of the bleed , next to my brain versus on it , was the best that it could be .”
“ I ’ m very lucky . If it wasn ’ t for the nurses and doctors at both Jefferson and Allegheny General , I don ’ t think I ’ d be here today .”
Even so , it was determined that she needed the level of resources and treatments only a Level 1 trauma center can provide . Because time was of the essence , she was put aboard a LifeFlight helicopter and rushed to Allegheny General Hospital . “ I was there for seven days ,” she said . “ Two days in the ICU , then five days in a step-down unit . The doctors and nurses took great care of me . They were wonderful the whole way through . I couldn ’ t have asked for anything better .”
Debbie ’ s back to life as usual , spending as much time as possible with her daughter and granddaughter , and her blood pressure remains under control with medicine . Best of all , her four-month follow-up CT scan came back perfectly normal . To celebrate , she stopped by the Jefferson emergency room with a couple dozen donuts .
“ I don ’ t know if the people on staff then were the ones that took care of me , but I had to say thank you ,” Debbie said . “ I ’ m very lucky . If it wasn ’ t for the nurses and doctors at both Jefferson and Allegheny General , I don ’ t think I ’ d be here today .”
— Debbie Kubina
ABOUT
45 %
PEOPLE IN THE UNITED STATES SUFFER A BRAIN ANEURYSM RUPTURE EACH YEAR . A BRAIN ANEURYSM RUPTURES EVERY 18 MINUTES .
Source : The Brain Aneurysm Foundation , 2020