Hanford resident thanks Emergency Department team for quick actions during stroke

After waking up from a nap and eating a snack one day, Mark Daniel found it strange that he couldn’t taste his cookies or milk. A few minutes later, he received a phone call from a co-worker at Hanford Sentinel newspaper and was only able to utter the word, “Hi,” before losing all awareness.

“I wasn’t sure what I was trying to communicate, it was total confusion,” says Daniel, Hanford Sentinel general manager. “I handed my phone to my wife and daughter and when they looked at my eyes, they said, ‘We’re going to the emergency room.’”

Daniel had suffered a stroke. Since his home is a 10-minute drive from Adventist Health Hanford, Emergency Department staff was able to quickly administer stroke medication to breakdown the blood clots and restore blood flow to his brain.

“The emergency room care was fantastic,” says Daniel. “They got me a wheelchair and went into the proper protocol for a potential stroke. I was quickly admitted and given a CT scan which revealed a stroke and a 90% blockage of my right carotid artery. I remember vaguely the conversation about a tPA shot which was needed to break up the blockage and I’m convinced this shot, and the quick action of the ER team, saved me from severe stroke or even death.”

Following his diagnosis on August 3, Daniel was scheduled for surgery on August 7.

“I had a room on the third floor [Med/Surg 3 South] and all the nursing staff was great, but the one who stood out was Chloe Smith [CNA], who remembered me as the ‘coffee pot man’ from my previous visit for pneumonia,” says Daniel. During that visit, Daniel had noticed the unit did not have a coffee pot, so he had his daughter purchase one for the staff. The nurses brought Daniel the first brewed cup.

“Chloe remembered I liked coffee from my last visit and was kind enough to continue bringing me coffee during my stay for the stroke,” says Daniel.

Two months after a successful surgery and rehabilitation, Daniel returned to work.

“I would recommend Adventist Health Hanford to all,” says Daniel. “Don’t be stubborn and try and ride out the symptoms of a stroke. Get in and get help!”

This year, Adventist Health Hanford received a Gold Plus Achievement Award from the American Heart Association for its commitment to ensure stroke patients receive the most appropriate treatment according to nationally recognized, research-based guidelines. To learn more, visit: https://www.adventisthealth.org/blog/2021/september/adventist-health-hanford-earns-national-recognit/

To learn about the signs and symptoms of a stroke, visit: https://www.adventisthealth.org/services/stroke-care/