My husband's miracle

On July 30, 1999, my 53-year-old husband was sent by helicopter to your facility from Danbury Hospital. He had suffered two strokes; the second one was massive. He was totally paralyzed on the right side, and his speech was greatly impaired. He could say yup and no.

After neurology evaluated him, I was gently told that the frontal and temporal lobes and center for speech had been destroyed. There was less than a one percent chance for Norm to survive, and, if he did, he would never speak again—there was nothing left of his personality. Needless to say, I was devastated. I was, however, able to say to Dr. Murat Gunel, the vascular neurosurgeon, that Norm was still speaking. I asked him to please ignore the CT scan and come and see Norm with me. He did. Twenty-four hours later when he was taking Norm to surgery to relieve pressure (a mid line shift), this wonderful doctor told our sons that the surgery would enhance the quality of their father's life. He said that he did not understand how Norm still had the function he did, but he would do everything he could do to help him to survive. This was the first part of our miracle.

The second part came after surgery when we were to become more involved with the Stroke Team headed up at the that time by Dr. Pierre Fayad. After Norm survived the surgery, this team of doctors and therapists felt that anything was possible. Dr. Adam Mednick, a stroke fellow at the time, was particularly helpful. He had us fill the walls with photographs of all the people and things that Norm knew and loved. He asked us to put pictures up of Norman prestroke so his caregivers would know who "Norm Ellis the person" was. At this time he was not really recognizable. He told us to talk to Norm, sing to him, play music, hold his hands and touch him—in short, to do anything to stimulate him. It all worked because 10 days ahead of schedule Norm was sent to Gaylord Hospital for rehab.