Young mother makes a full recovery

ENGLEWOOD — During a routine day at home, Kimberly Cansler, a 44-year-old mother of nine children, suddenly felt her leg go numb.

Cansler is the director of HCA Florida Healthcare at Home, a service that provides home health expertise and resources for patients as they transition to care outside the hospital setting. Given her role in healthcare, she recognized the symptoms immediately and knew she was having a stroke.

Stroke is the number five cause of death and a leading cause of disability in the United States, said the news release.

A stroke occurs when a blood vessel that carries oxygen and nutrients to the brain is either blocked by a clot or bursts. When that happens, part of the brain cannot get the blood and oxygen it needs, so brain cells die.

Early stroke detection and treatment are vital to improving survival, minimizing disability and accelerating recovery times. Signs of a stroke can include face drooping, arm weakness or speech difficulty.

Medical intervention is required to stop a stroke and prevent excessive damage to the brain. The sooner treatment is administered, the more brain cells can be preserved and the better the long-term outcome said the news release.

Recently, the American Heart Association conducted a survey to determine the common reasons why 911 was not called for possible strokes. Many hesitated because they did not realize it was an emergency or thought driving was faster than calling an ambulance.

Early treatment saves lives.

“Stroke signs and symptoms, whether it be a heart attack or stroke, take those symptoms seriously," Cansler said in a news release. "Call 911, do not drive yourself.”

Englewood Hospital Chief Medical Officer Paul Chupka said that every second counts, making evidence-based treatment effective among stroke patients.

"Paramedics begin coordinating with our emergency team while they are on the way to the hospital," Chupka said in a news release. "The patient is met by the Emergency Room physician and the nursing staff, labs are drawn immediately, the patient is taken to radiology for scanning, and at the same time, teleneurology is being activated.”

In Cansler’s case, her daughter, a nursing student, called 911, and she was transported by ambulance to the Primary Stroke Center at HCA Florida Englewood Hospital. While at the hospital, Cansler received a personalized treatment plan, including physical, speech, and occupational therapy to support her physical, mental and emotional functions.

Cansler said that her nurse Olga gave her the power to push through and provide peace of mind to her family.

"To be able to go back and see them again, show them what they did for me, and thank them brought tears to my eyes," Cansler said, talking about her care team reunion, in a news release.

In 2023, the American Heart Association awarded Englewood Hospital with Get With The Guidelines Stroke Quality Achievement Awards for their commitment to ensuring stroke patients receive the most appropriate treatment according to nationally recognized, research-based guidelines.

Cansler said her care team was amazing and like a family.

“My quality of life now is wonderful," Cansler said in a news release. "I’m able to do all my activities of daily living."

Learn more about stroke care at HCA Florida Englewood Hospital and follow the hospital on Facebook.