After Treadmill Collapse, Fast Stroke Care at Barnes-Jewish St. Peters Hospital Saved Richard

Richard Hood’s workouts at his St. Peters gym were rigorous and routine. The 78-year-old would split his hour and a half evenly between running on a treadmill and lifting weights. So when he began feeling dizzy during a January gym visit, Richard knew he wasn’t just tired.

Something was wrong.

“I started feeling strange, and I remember leaning on the treadmill with my whole body,” Richard says. “Next thing I know, I’m down and people are all around me.”

Richard was experiencing a stroke, but he believes a handful of factors helped him achieve the best possible outcome. A nurse was on a nearby treadmill. Paramedics were just minutes away. And Richard was taken to Barnes-Jewish St. Peters Hospital, a regional leader in stroke care that offered a procedure Richard needed—one that is not available at other hospitals in the area.

Quick response

When Richard’s workout turned into an emergency, he benefited from the quick action of others, which is the most important element to limiting the damage done by a stroke.

Ischemic strokes, like the one Richard experienced, are the most common kind of strokes. They occur when blood clots form within brain arteries and interfere with blood flow to brain tissue. For people experiencing stroke symptoms, receiving emergency care is critical, because urgent, effective treatment is crucial to saving lives and avoiding lifelong disabilities that result from the interruption of blood supply to the brain. Without proper oxygen and nutrients, brain cells can begin to die in minutes after a stroke. The acronym BE FAST was created to help people know the signs of stroke and how to respond.

• Balance: Does the person have a loss of balance?
• Eyes: Has the person lost vision in one or both eyes?
• Face: Does the person’s face look uneven?
• Arms: Can the person raise both arms for 10 seconds?
• Speech: Is the person’s speech slurred?
• Time: Time is brain. Call 911 if you suspect a stroke.

Richard didn’t realize he was having a stroke in the moment, but fortunately, a nurse in the gym and those who helped her did. They noticed Richard’s loss of balance and slurred speech, information that helped the paramedics. The paramedics quickly decided Richard needed to go to Barnes-Jewish St. Peters, a Primary Stroke Center designated by The Joint Commission and a Level II Stroke Center.

Barnes-Jewish St. Peters is also the only certified thrombectomy-capable center in St. Charles County. This became an important designation for Richard, because it was determined he needed the procedure. A thrombectomy is a minimally invasive procedure used to open a blocked artery and restore blood flow to the brain. Prior to the 2021 opening of Barnes-Jewish St. Peters’ thrombectomy stroke center, access to the procedure did not exist for stroke patients in St. Charles, Lincoln, and Warren Counties.

Comprehensive stroke care

At Barnes-Jewish St. Peters, Richard entered an Emergency Department structured to provide rapid stroke response.

In less than an hour, he received tenecteplase (TNK), an injectable drug used to break up clots that can cause strokes. By the time Richard’s wife, Jeanne, arrived at the Emergency Department, she was able to view scans of Richard’s brain that showed the blood clot. She listened to Brendan Thomas Eby, MD, a WashU Medicine neurologist, as he explained why a thrombectomy should be the next step.

“It was a blur, and things seemed to happen really fast,” Richard says. “I know now, having not known anything about strokes before, how important that speed was. The hospital understood my situation rapidly. That’s what stands out now. My wife was quickly informed of my condition and the need for immediate action.”

Dr. Eby, who is specifically trained on thrombectomy procedures, was able to fully restore Richard’s blood flow within 85 minutes of his arrival at the hospital.

“I had no idea time was of the essence back then, but I can tell you it was incredible how fast things moved and how quickly decisions were being made,” Richard says. “I’m very thankful for that now.”

From frustration to understanding

After the clot in Richard’s brain was cleared and he was able to rest and recover, a long rehabilitation process began.

Of the two weeks he spent at Barnes-Jewish St. Peters, the second was focused on inpatient rehab and the physical and speech therapy programs the hospital makes available to stroke survivors.

Richard’s gym routine prepared him well for the physical therapy. He was motivated to walk without help and driven by the thought of sleeping in his own bed at home. The repetition of movements and exercises made sense to him, and he liked the physical challenge they offered.

It was the cognitive exercises that Richard had to come to terms with, the awareness-based tasks and speech exercises designed to help overcome nonphysical deficits, or stroke-related setbacks. He felt like they were pointless at first—then realized he was having trouble with some of the tasks. That forced him to reconsider his stance.

“There was a learning curve for me there,” Richard says. “I learned the brain doesn’t just rejuvenate itself. It must rewire itself around the damaged parts. They were exercising my brain the way you would a broken arm. Once I understood, it helped me be more patient and more steadfast. It wasn’t a waste of time.”

Power of encouragement

Listening to Richard today, there are no signs of the speech difficulties he experienced soon after his stoke. His commitment to his rehabilitation continued in outpatient services for months after he was able to return home. He still challenges himself with cognitive exercises and puzzles now that his official rehab sessions have ended.

Next up, Richard hopes to drive again. He’s made plans to take a driving exam with an instructor who is trained in determining if stroke survivors are ready to return to the road.

He is grateful for the care he received and the support that surrounds him, from the first people who ran toward him in the gym, to the medical professionals who did their job with speed and precision, to his wife and church family for their continued assistance.

“Wherever you are in your recovery process, you cannot overstate the importance of encouragement,” Richard says.

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