When you’ve just suffered an acute stroke, what
happens next could mean the difference between facing a lifetime of disability
or walking out of the hospital on your own two feet. Every minute matters.
For Gary Mace, a dive shop operator and boat captain in the
Florida Keys town of Tavernier, time was on his side. It was June 24th
and the 63-year-old was alone at home. His wife, Brenda, was just down the road
at Conch Republic Divers, which
the couple has owned for the past 17 years.
Suddenly, without warning, Mr. Mace started experiencing
double vision and couldn’t move his left arm or leg.
“I didn’t know what was going on. I thought if I laid down,
I’d start to feel better,” Mr. Mace said. “I’m an emergency first responder and
I didn’t recognize that I was having a stroke.”
Barely able to speak, he called Brenda and whispered, “Help
me.” She immediately hung up, dialed 911 and told the dispatcher that she
thought her husband was having a stroke.
(Watch Now: Thanks to
Dalia Lorenzo, M.D. and the stroke team at Baptist Hospital, Gary Mace was able
to get back to doing what he loves most. For him, it was a miracle. Video
by Anthony Vivian and Dylan Kyle.)
Within minutes, an ambulance arrived at the Mace’s home and
he was rushed to the helipad at nearby Mariners Hospital. A medevac helicopter
summoned from Marathon touched down a few minutes later and whisked Mace up to Baptist
Hospital in Kendall, a one-and-a-half-hour drive from Tavernier but just 20
minutes by air.
At the same time, Dalia
Lorenzo, M.D., a neurologist with Baptist
Health Neuroscience Center, was mobilizing the B.E.S.T. (Baptist Emergency
Stroke Team) Stroke Team and making preparations so that Mr. Mace could be
treated immediately. As soon as the helicopter landed, he was transported to
the emergency room where Dr. Lorenzo and her team quickly assessed his
condition.
Within 12 minutes of his arrival at Baptist Hospital, Mr. Mace
was given an injection of Tissue
Plasminogen Activator (tPA), a protein-based treatment for ischemic or
thrombotic stroke, which is caused by a blood clot interrupting blood flow to a
region of the brain.
“Although it can’t be used with all types of stroke victims,
tPA is a powerful blood thinner that quickly breaks up the clot causing the
stroke,” Dr. Lorenzo said. “But timing is critical, as tPA is effective only if
administered within the ‘golden window’ of three to four-and-a-half hours of the
onset of stroke symptoms.”
For Mr. Mace, the total elapsed time from the onset of his
stroke to his treatment at Baptist Hospital was just one hour and 36 minutes.
Given that he was transported from the Florida Keys, which takes time and close
coordination between various agencies and facilities, the speed with which he
was treated was nothing short of remarkable.
“Because we had such a good system in place, Mr. Mace was
able to get here quickly and we were able to get him the treatment he needed to
prevent any permanent disability from his stroke,” Dr. Lorenzo said.
Within an hour of receiving tPA, his double vision cleared
up and he started regaining motion in his arm and leg. Two days later, he
walked out of the hospital and returned to Tavernier. No physical therapy was
required, and he was able to return to work shortly afterwards.
Gary Mace, owner of Conch Republic Divers in Tavernier, Florida, diving in the Florida Keys
“As a dive shop owner, dive instructor and boat captain, not
being able to walk or talk would have been a life-changer for me,” said Mr. Mace,
who loves nothing more than interacting with his customers and helping them
explore the underwater wonders of the Florida Keys. “The fact that I’m here 10
weeks later talking to you and going diving again – it really is a miracle.”
Mr. Mace agrees with those who say TPA is a miracle drug,
but believes there’s more to it than that.
“Yes, it’s a miracle drug, but it’s also a gift from God,”
he said. “The miracle occurred because God gave somebody the intelligence to
create the drug. It was a miracle because the helicopter was able to fly that
day, which isn’t always the case here in the Keys where the weather can change
quickly. And it was a miracle that I was able to receive tPA within 12 minutes
of landing at Baptist.”
His eyes well up as he recalls what a blessing it was once
he regained mobility in his arm and leg and he knew he was going to be okay.
And he is forever grateful for the care he received at every step of the way.
“I’m just so thankful for Baptist, for God, and for the
opportunity to be here today to tell you my story,” Mr. Mace said. “I really
appreciate everything that Baptist did for me – everybody was so professional
and caring. Words can’t express my gratitude.”
Stories like Gary’s is what makes me so proud to be a Neuro ICU nurse here at Baptist! Our team of doctors, nurses, and ancillary staff is like no other especially the BEST team! Wishing Gary all the best today and always!
God be Blessed Gary you have received this wonderful healing. I am so happy for you and hour family you have been restored to good health and that we will still enjoy your “Diver’s Devo” everyday on the radio. Keep it up, Miami IS listening :-). My father’s life was also saved at Baptist Hospital with the use of TPA treatment, and his family cannot be more grateful. Thank you Dr. Lorenzo, may the good Lord always be your guide and protector. Baptist Health is the Best!
Thank you God most of all and also to de. Lorenzo and every person involved in his miracle care. I thank God for the person who worked diligently to create the drug used and also the processes put in place to handle his care in such an expedient way. Time is of essence, especially with a stroke, so it’s so encouraging to know we can live on our little much loved and cherished little island and receive such great care like the mainland. Thanks to BAPTIST Hospital for coordinating such care! Blessings Gary to being given new life again! I look forward to watching you live it to its fullest in appreciation to God my friend and making him shine in yours and Brenda’s life my friend! <3
Stories like Gary’s is what makes me so proud to be a Neuro ICU nurse here at Baptist! Our team of doctors, nurses, and ancillary staff is like no other especially the BEST team! Wishing Gary all the best today and always!