The Compass Fall 2019 | Page 4

Local emergency care helped Cathy survive a stroke. BRENHAM: PATIENT PROFILE Timing is everything very second counts when a of the stroke—and the sooner, the better. patients more privacy. “I’m proud of our patient is suffering from a stroke. Quick treatment improves chances of community and the people who have When an artery to the brain is survival and minimizes any lasting effects responded to this need. Having private from the stroke. rooms in the ED will lessen the stress on either blocked or bursts, a quick response is vital to prevent long-term brain damage. Fortunately for Cathy Cole, “It all happened so fast,” Cathy says. patients and their families,” Cathy says. “From the time my symptoms started to emergency care was close by when she the time I had the tPA and started feeling needed it most. normal again was between 45 minutes Department renovations and how you can to an hour. I’m so blessed and lucky that help, please contact Kassi Horner, director her laptop at home when she noticed things happened at the right time and of philanthropy for Brenham and College she was having a hard time typing with I was able to get care so quickly. I can Station, at 979-337-5248. her right hand. Thinking her hand had say without question that having the fallen asleep, she reached for a glass of emergency room here played a major water and spilled it. role in how well I recovered.” One Sunday, Cathy was working on Cathy realized something wasn’t Cathy was transferred to Baylor right. “I picked up the phone to call my Scott & White Medical Center - College daughter, Amanda, who lives nearby, but Station, where she spent less than a I couldn’t dial the numbers,” she says. “It week in recovery doing physical and was like my mind was working, but my occupational therapy. body wasn’t responding.” As a realtor, Cathy is proud to tell To learn more about the Emergency Play a round “fore” health care Join us as a player, team, or sponsor for the 27th clients moving to the area about the great Annual Healthcare Classic call from her other daughter, Jessica, who care available to them at Baylor Scott & Golf Tournament on Friday, was boarding a plane. Cathy was able to White. Just before her stroke, Cathy also September 27, 2019 at Brenham answer the call, but could only grunt in joined the Development Advisory Board Country Club. Every dollar of response. Jessica immediately contacted for the Baylor Scott & White Central sponsorship donations benefit her sister. Texas Foundation - Brenham to help raise the Emergency Department funds for the Emergency Department renovation project. Just moments later, Cathy received a “Amanda got to my house and knew right away that I was having a stroke,” Cathy says. “She called the ambulance renovation project. “I think about the project from a and they got me to Baylor Scott & White different perspective now,” she says. in Brenham.” “To see it as a patient, or to look at it Cathy was given tissue plasminogen activator (tPA), a medication that can help dissolve blood clots and restore blood from the point of view of our staff is completely different.” Plans for the expansion include flow to the brain. It is most effective if additional capacity to treat more administered within four and a half hours patients and converted rooms to give 4 THE COMPASS / BAYLOR SCOTT & WHITE CENTRAL TEXAS FOUNDATION NEWS / FALL 2019 Click to download the brochure