OGDEN —A stroke survivor expressed gratitude Friday after a caregiver spotted some concerning physical signs and got him the help he needed.
Nansel's history with previous strokes
Earlier this month, 78-year-old Ken Nansel — who had already survived two previous strokes — attended a stroke support group meeting at Ogden Regional Medical Center.
“The first one probably about five years ago — it affected my vision,” Nansel said during an interview with KSL. “(A) couple years later I had the stroke that affected my right side.”
Caregivers notice concerning physical symptoms
During the meeting, caregivers could tell something wasn’t right with Nansel.
“He was not the same Ken who had come in before,” said Kim Fallgatter, a clinical rehab specialist and occupational therapist at Ogden Regional. “We noticed him coughing when he was drinking water, his speech was more slurred. Even when he got up to walk, we were really worried about his balance.”
Persuading Nansel to seek medical care
Nansel had apparently suffered a third stroke the week prior to the meeting, and Fallgatter urged him to go to the emergency department.
“He was really hesitant, even with three of us healthcare professionals there with him,” Fallgatter said. “He really wanted to get home to his dog.”
Ultimately, Fallgatter as well as Nansel’s son convinced Nansel to seek care.
Importance of rapid medical intervention
He eventually was transferred to the hospital’s intermediate care unit and was entered into an inpatient rehab program.
“It’s just better to get seen faster,” said Brittany Slater, nurse manager at Ogden Regional’s acute rehabilitation unit. “If it is something that they delayed care, they could see symptoms for a longer period of time and they could become more permanent or more severe.”
Rehabilitation process and therapy techniques
Slater said the rehab unit helps a variety of patients find a “new normal” with their physical limitations through things like physical therapy and occupational therapy.
“They might experience a deficit on one side of their body that causes them to be paralyzed, and so the therapists are teaching them how to go through their daily lives,” Slater explained. “We’re just teaching them ways they can live their lives to be normal.”
Specialized speech and swallowing therapy
Slater said in Nansel’s case, therapists focused on his new symptoms, which were largely related to speech and swallowing.
“Our speech language pathologist, Natalie — she did a phenomenal job working with him, doing, like, cognitive therapy as well as memory,” Slater said. “She sat with him one-on-one during mealtimes and just made sure to remind him of, like, certain techniques he can do to swallow safely as well as ways he could enunciate better for his speech.”
Fallgatter reminded about the medical acronym “B.E.F.A.S.T.,” which is used to recall critical signs of a stroke like vision changes, face drooping, speech difficulty and loss of balance, which can necessitate a call for help.
“We all want to think we’re okay, but time is really important,” Fallgatter said.
Fallgatter said the stroke support group meets twice per month at Ogden Regional Medical Center.
Nansel also urged others not to deny it when they know they are experiencing symptoms and to seek help as soon as possible.
“My care has been out of this world,” said Nansel as he turned emotional. “I’m just grateful for this crew.”
Officials said Nansel had previously served for 10 years as a volunteer at the hospital, logging 2,041 hours of service since 2016.
“This is a good place — this is a very good place,” Nansel said. “I’ll be back to visit, I hope, and not as a patient.”
Related: Knowing the signs of strokes for Stroke Awareness Month
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