About 4 AM I woke from a deep sleep to the sounds of a nightmare: someone was calling out to me. I got up, put on slippers, turned on the bedroom light, and saw that my wife was on the floor by the bed. Immediately, I got my phone and called 911, requesting that firemen come to help me return her to bed. But when the team arrived they judged that there was a serious problem and they prepared her for transport to Emergency at Stanford University Hospital. 

In hospital she was examined and diagnosed with a massive hemorrhage on the left side of her brain.  She was immediately transferred to Neurosurgery where a medical team was formed and soon I was faced with three choices: the hospital could continue to monitor the situation, prepare the patient for open brain surgery, or a less dramatic surgery to relieve the pressure on the brain. My wife was conscious, my oldest son was with me and the neurosurgeon, iPhone in hand, called my younger son in San Diego so that we could make the decision immediately because in cases of stroke delay can be fatal.

We chose to proceed with the least invasive option and the surgical team began preparations for an early afternoon operation at the newly opened Stanford University Hospital . The photo above shows the patient as she waits for surgery.

These were the first steps in what has now been a two month recovery and rehabilitation journey.

Cheers, Carto

On the web:

Stanford Health Care–“The 368-bed hospital building has proved to be an adaptable and effective facility for handling the pandemic.”

Perkins Eastman—”Conceived of through a collaborative process with Stanford Health Care and the design team, the hospital’s inventive plan mimics a patient’s journey. Four levels, centered on the themes of connect, treat, heal, and care stack vertically and emphasizes overall wellness.”