Man who suffered stroke reunites with doctor who saved his life
PARK RIDGE, Ill. — A doctor and patient whose life he helped save were reunited on Tuesday to celebrate the amazing feat.
If it wasn’t for Ken Krull’s quick-thinking wife and doctor, Tuesday’s reunion and jam session would never have been possible.
“My normally very articulate husband was slurring his words and could not give me an even smile, I knew what was happening right away,” Ken’s wife, Deborah Krull, said.
On his 70th birthday, Ken suffered an ischemic stroke.
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“I went from not being able to lift my left hand, not being able to speak without slurring, my eyes weren’t tracking, total mismatched grip. By the time I was in the recovery room and I was in sedation, I was fine, I passed all the tests,” Ken said.
That’s because neuro-interventionalist Dr. Marion Oliver at Advocate Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge quickly performed lifesaving surgery.
Ken underwent a mechanical thrombectomy where Dr. Oliver pulled an inch-long clot from his brain.
“Two million neurons die every 60 seconds, so you really need to get in as quickly as possible,” Dr. Oliver said.
Because of the minimally invasive procedure, Ken’s speech returned to normal and his ability to play the guitar was restored.
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“And after the procedure, Ken was able to, we restored his neurological function and he was back to normal immediately,” Oliver said.
Since both Dr. Oliver and Ken share a passion for music, the two joined together for a jam session to celebrate the successful surgery and recovery
“We hear that a lot here, that ‘time is tissue’ and it is, and here I am,” Ken said.
Both Ken and Dr. Oliver said this kind of recovery was possible because of how quickly the stroke signs were recognized. They warn anyone who spots any signs of a stroke to get to the ER immediately.
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