Andrew Fisher is not much different than many other 35 year-old men – a hard-working father of twin boys with many years and memories ahead of him. It was hard to predict that one morning he would wake up and need the hands of a stroke specialist to allow him to see his family again.

However, that is what surprises many people about stroke – it can happen to anyone at any time.

“I was 35 at the time of my stroke and didn’t think for the life of me it could happen to someone my age,” Andrew explained. “Even if I knew all of the symptoms, I probably would have written it off because I thought I was invincible.”

Working 18 hour days regularly and under a great deal of stress, Andrew woke up one morning last year with slurred speech and hands that felt like “16 pound bowling balls…they just fell down when I tried to hold them up.”

Admitted to his local hospital, there was nothing that could be done there to stop the debilitating effects the stroke was having on his neurological function. Faced with a low likelihood of survival, Andrew began to think he might never see his family again.

“There was virtually no hope except for a last-ditch effort to contact a stroke neurologist at University of Louisville Hospital.”

That stroke neurologist is Dr. Alex Abou-Chebl, Director of Interventional Neurology at University of Louisville Hospital. The optimal window to treat a stroke like Andrew’s is within 3 – 4.5 hours of the first sign of symptoms; beyond that, the treatment options are limited.

Andrew Fisher was transported to University of Louisville Hospital more than one day after his symptoms began.

“Thirty-six hours into my stroke, it was hard to believe I had any chance of living.”

His chance was in the hands of Dr. Abou-Chebl, who can treat stroke patients beyond the 3 – 4.5 hour window. With the use of a catheter device, Dr. Abou-Chebl accessed one of Andrew’s brain vessels to remove the blood clot causing the stroke. Just as Andrew’s blood flow began to improve, so did his neurological function and hope.

“At some point in the procedure, I regained the ability to speak and wiggle my toes and thought I just may make it out of this.”

Except for the rare occasion, Dr. Abou-Chebl keeps his patients awake during interventional procedures to avoid shutting down the organ he is trying to restore. Andrew’s brain and life were both restored that day, and four days after his procedure, he was discharged from University Hospital’s Stroke Unit.

“People can’t believe that I’m walking and functioning the way I am now. I spend every moment I can with my kids and truly have a new lease on life.”

Andrew credits Dr. Abou-Chebl and University Hospital’s Stroke Team for giving him the opportunity to see his sons grow.

“My kids know who Dr. Abou-Chebl is, and I consider him a part of my family because he saved mine. His work can’t be described, and there needs to be more doctors that can do what he does.”

Andrew is now using his story to educate the public on stroke and the value of University of Louisville Hospital’s Stroke Center. Or, as Andrew said, “It’s important to know that where you go for stroke care really does matter.”

About University Hospital’s Stroke Center:

• Kentucky’s first certified stroke center
• State-of-the-art unit dedicated to caring for stroke patients
• The Stroke Team is above the national average in the administration of IV t-PA, a drug that breaks up blood clots causing strokes. It is the only ischemic stroke treatment (stroke caused by a blood clot) approved by the Food and Drug Administration
• Partners with hospitals across Kentucky and Southern Indiana to provide specialized stroke care in an effort to improve patient outcomes
• Participants in leading-edge clinical trials, including being the only facility in the region participating in the National Institutes of Health’s trial of clot-busting drugs delivered directly into the brain
• Experienced team of Board Certified stroke neurologists
• Dedicated Interventional Neurology program – a team of physician and nurse specialists who can offer advanced stroke treatments beyond the optimal 3 – 4.5 hour treatment window
• First center in Kentucky to use Penumbra, a clot retrieval system

See also:

• Andrew tells his story
• Watch Andrew and members of University Hospital’s Stroke Team on WAVE-3 Listens Live
• Andrew at the opening of University Hospital’s Stroke Unit in 2009
• Learn about the signs and symptoms of a stroke
• What are the different types of stroke?
• UofL Health Care’s Regional Clinical Care – a program to build partnerships with hospitals throughout Kentucky and Southern Indiana to improve stroke outcomes
• Tell us about your experience at UofL Health Care