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Fast Treatment Reverses Damage from Stroke
Steve Kulcsar of Belmar learned the hard way that anyone can have a stroke. luckily for him, it
happened while working as a carpenter at Jersey shore university Medical Center.
It started out as a typical morning for Steve Kulcsar, 43. He was
on site at Jersey Shore University Medical Center, working on the
$300 million Transformation project.
"I was framing exterior walls on the seventh floor of the expansion
when I broke out in a cold sweat and became very dizzy,"
says Steve. "I sat down out on the balcony, thinking I needed fresh
air." After about five minutes, he tried to walk, but his legs wouldn't
support him.
A Quick Response
Two of his coworkers, one of whom is a volunteer emergency
medical technician (EMT), jumped into action. Right away they
alerted a foreman, who called 911. Steve was becoming less and
less responsive. Soon he could no longer sit or answer questions,
and the right side of his body was not responding.
In a few short minutes, EMTs arrived at the seventh floor and carefully
brought Steve down to an ambulance. He was rushed to the entrance
of the Jersey Shore Emergency Department for stroke treatment.
The Best Treatment
Jersey Shore is nationally certified as a Primary Stroke Center. It
was one of the first hospitals in the state to earn this certification
and the first in Monmouth and Ocean counties.
The Stroke Center's team was ready for Steve. He was quickly
assessed by a board certified neurologist. "After performing lab studies
and a CT of the brain, it was determined that Steve was suffering
an ischemic stroke," says Alison Trembly, APN, nurse practitioner
for the Stroke Center at Jersey Shore. "This stroke was caused by a
blockage in the blood vessel that provides the blood flow to the left
side of the brain."
Steve was immediately given T-PA, a clot-busting drug designed to
reverse the effects of the stroke. "T-PA can only be administered within
three hours of a stroke, so receiving medical help immediately is critical,"
explains Stroke Center Medical Director Stephen Martino, M.D.
"When someone suffers from a stroke, every second counts."
After spending a few days recovering in the hospital, Steve was
feeling better. He was back at work one week after his stroke.
"I can't thank the doctors, nurses, and the Jersey Shore team
enough for everything they did for me," says Steve. "It is very comforting
to me and my family to know that these great services are
available so close to home."
 – Rob Cavanaugh
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