Submitted by Providence-Swedish
Angel Butros is not someone you would typically associate with stroke risk. An avid hiker and outdoor enthusiast, Angel revels in spending weekends exploring the mountains, camping, or playing volleyball. Her lifestyle is marked by health and vitality, which is why the stroke the 40-year-old suffered came as such a shock to her and those who know her.
“Everyone who hears it thinks it’s crazy. They say, ‘you are one of the healthiest people I know,’” Angel shared just two weeks after her medical emergency.
Thankfully, Providence St. Peter Hospital demonstrated its unparalleled capabilities in stroke care throughout Angel’s extraordinary experience, whose life took an unexpected turn on September 9. St. Peter is the only hospital between Tacoma and Vancouver to offer thrombectomy – an intervention to remove a blood clot and restore blood flow to vital organs such as the brain – the procedure that ultimately made the difference in Angel’s success story.
“When people think about stroke, they often think that only older people have them. Recent evidence shows that strokes are increasingly common in younger individuals, and we are seeing many younger patients present with stroke at St. Peter,” said Neurologist Corey White. “Angel got to the hospital quickly and with thrombectomy for stroke we can reverse disability from stroke. For Angel and other young patients, this means escaping a lifetime of disability from stroke.”
Stroke Care You can Count on
Her day started like any other. After sending her husband Steve off to work, Angel engaged in some morning yoga and checked work emails before preparing to shower at about 9 a.m. But as she was in the shower, she started feeling weird. She dropped her sponge and then couldn’t stop herself from falling. Laying on the shower floor, she tried to gather herself.
“It wasn’t a moment of fear; my brain didn’t register pain, which is why I wasn’t scared,” Angel recalled.
Despite the confusion and paralysis affecting her right side, she managed to crawl out of the shower and get partially dressed. “I knew something wasn’t right and started thinking about what I could do,” she recalled.
As Angel sat on her coffee table, contemplating her next move, her loyal dog Pete — a Pitbull she and Steve rescued a few years ago — stayed by her side, nudging her as if sensing her distress.
“I knew I needed to do something, go somewhere but my brain just couldn’t let me decide,” she said.
It felt like only minutes, but over the next two hours Angel kept feeling like she could snap out of it … she’d be OK. Somewhere in her mind she knew she should probably call 9-1-1, but thought “that’s for REAL emergencies, I’ll get better.”
Unable to move or think clearly, Angel found herself texting Steve. It was jumbled. He called her and she formulated words, but the sentences didn’t make sense. Initially, Steve thought it was a bad connection. Then he could tell she was frustrated that she couldn’t get out what she was trying to say. He was worried, called a friend to go check on her and called 9-1-1 himself.
Emergency medical technicians arrived swiftly, and though Angel was unable to walk or answer their questions coherently, they quickly assessed her condition and transported her to St. Peter Hospital’s Emergency Room. “It’s all fuzzy from there until I woke up,” Angel admitted.
St. Peter is the only hospital in South Puget Sound with a dedicated stroke team, including on-site interventional radiology registered nurses, neuro-intensivists Dr. Corey White and Dr. Madeline Nguyen and neuro-interventionalist Dr. Sea Mi Park, who came to South Puget Sound earlier this year, enabling the thrombectomy procedure to be performed. Providence Swedish is working to bring more physicians such as Dr. Park to the area, ensuring the procedure is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Remarkably Fast, Quality-of-Life-Saving Care
Angel’s journey to recovery began when she arrived at 12:46 p.m.
The team was able to address Angel’s critical condition and take immediate action. By 12:53 p.m., a CT scan had been conducted, and stroke nurse Liz Todd collaborated with Dr. White, who administered Tenecteplase (TNK) to dissolve the clot that was found in her brain.
“When someone comes to the emergency department with signs or symptoms of stroke that are less than 24 hours from onset, the stroke team in partnership with the Emergency Department rapidly obtains imaging to determine if they may be having a stroke,” said Dr. White. “We utilize a combination of CT scans to evaluate the brain and the blood vessels. Advanced CT imaging can assist to determine if the stroke has occurred in a time frame that will allow for us to remove the clot and save brain at risk of otherwise dying.”
With a thrombectomy planned, Angel was on the procedure table by 1:32 p.m., and just 37 minutes later, Dr. Park successfully removed the clot from her brain. Dr. Park inserted a tube in the femoral artery of the leg to access blood vessels of the brain. Specialized suction and retrieval tools were used to take the blood clot out of the artery of the brain causing the stroke.
“This entire treatment is done using a special x-ray machine that allows us to inject dye to visualize the arteries of the brain before, during, and after the clot is removed,” said Dr. White.
The intervention was completed at 2:09 p.m., just 1 hour and 23 minutes after her arrival.
“Everyone was so kind in the ER, and the ICU staff was so positive and encouraging,” Angel said. “Dr. Park and Dr. White would check in on me, genuinely happy to see my progress.”
“Medically, I just kept getting better,” she shared, reflecting on her ability to wiggle her toes, move her ankle, and regain movement in her arm shortly after surgery.
Her recovery was nothing short of miraculous, with occupational and physical therapists clearing her for release after just two days of observation and treatment. “It was incredible to walk out of the hospital two days after being wheeled in from an ambulance.”
“Everyone was so helpful, patient and willing to share knowledge,” she said. “The nurse who checked us out told us everything and took the time to explain what my mom and husband wanted to know. He sat down with us and answered every question.”
Angel returned home on Sept. 11, just in time for Thursday Night Football, with no noticeable deficits apart from some fatigue, which she is optimistic will fade over time.
“In my 55ish hours in the hospital I had an EKG, MRI, blood work and two, post-op CT scans, PT check-in and OT check-in,” she said. “Every single person I interacted with was incredibly professional, and I sincerely felt they cared about my well-being. It was incredible.”
Angel’s family has been a pillar of support. She’s surrounded by her husband; parents, Karen and Tom Ernst; in-laws Charlie and Nancy Butros … her entire family has made its way to the area, holding hands with Angel as she navigated this unforeseen health challenge. They have remained by her side, providing support as she has eased back into her active life, listening carefully to the medical advice of taking things slowly.
Seconds Matter, Live With Intention
What has this experience meant to Angel? What will she do differently going forward?
“Steve asked me that question, and the first thing that came to mind was to live with intention, that’s my advice,” she said. “Life is more fragile than you realize. Make time for family and friends, as life can change drastically in an instant.”
Angel’s story underscores the critical importance of accessing timely and specialized care during a stroke. St. Peter Hospital’s dedicated team and facilities, including on-site neurology services and thrombectomy capabilities, are unparalleled in the region, offering hope and life-saving interventions when every second counts. It serves as a powerful reminder of the impact of specialized stroke care and the importance of listening to our bodies and acting swiftly in times of need.
“Call 9-1-1 if you or anyone else is experiencing symptoms of a stroke,” said Dr. White. “Most commonly, symptoms of stroke include facial droop, weakness or numbness on one side of the body, and trouble talking. Additionally, loss of vision and loss of coordination are also symptoms of stroke that sometimes get overlooked.”
For Angel, she’s eternally grateful for the people and procedure at St. Peter.
“On behalf of my family and myself, we cannot thank everyone enough. Thank you for saving not just my life, but my quality of life. We are all forever grateful for everyone involved,” Angel concluded. “I was treated with so much kindness, respect and patience from getting picked up to being discharged. You’re all heroes.”
Sponsored
