Quick action leads to incredible recovery for grandmother who suffered massive stroke

FULTON COUNTY, Ga. - May is Stroke Awareness Month and a metro Atlanta mother tells FOX 5 she is alive and well just two weeks after a major stroke thanks to the quick actions of her husband and doctors.

Diane Lewis suffered what her doctor says could have been a debilitating, if not life-threatening stroke. The 71-year-old Fulton County grandmother has her husband and the Emergency Department at Piedmont Fayette Hospital to thank for what has been an extremely fortunate and quick recovery.

She says the morning of April 27 she couldn’t use a button or toothbrush.

Married 45 years to Bishop Ralph Lewis, he fortunately recently read about the B.E.F.A.S.T. acronym for stroke warning signs: Balance. Eyes. Face. Arm. Speech and Time.

"He said to me, ‘Girl, you are stroking out,’" she said.

The couple arrived at the ER. Dr. Anna Katema, a Piedmont neurologist, says when Diane arrived she could not speak or walk and her brain scan showed a severe blockage.

Dr. Katema gave Diane a clot-busting drug called tPA, which stands for Tissue Plasminogen Activator. 

"Time is of the essence," Dr. Katema said. "We get patients who arrive days later and there is nothing we can do for them."

She says don’t call family members to take you to the hospital, call 911.

In addition, Dr. Katema ordered Diane to be flown from Fayette County to Piedmont Atlanta for immediate surgery.

Fortunately, the quick recognition by her husband and the early intervention with medication worked. Surgery was unnecessary because she had regained her speech and motor skills within hours.

Dr. Katema says Lewis is not out of the woods just yet, even though she is feeling great. In the first 90 days for all patients, there is an increased risk for additional strokes. So, they will be keeping a close eye on her here at Piedmont Fayette Hospital. In the meantime, she is looking forward to Mother’s Day with her family.