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Article Category: PeopleCare

AshleyCare

Published on August 16, 2020

Last updated 03:46 PM August 21, 2020

Ashley with her baby on a bridge

Ashley in a park, holding her son Luke.

September hasn't always been Ashley Irwin’s favorite month. Years ago, that time of year when the leaves changed into bright, warm colors held some of the darkest moments of her life.

In 2011, a 28-year-old Ashley was battling a particularly bad bout of Crohn’s disease, an inflammatory illness that can cause painful and often debilitating abdominal and bowel issues.

After the intense flare-up, Ashley was settling in at home again with the assistance of her mother. She was determined to regain her independence and get back on track.

But it wasn’t long before the sharp sensation of a migraine hit her full force. Pushing through the pain, she tried to check her email for any new messages, though it was nearly impossible to type in her username and password.

“As I sat in front of the computer, I couldn’t even remember my last name to log in to my email account—no matter how hard I tried,” Ashley recalled the terrifying moment.

Almost immediately, Ashley’s mother noticed her confusion, and stepped in to assess the situation and double-check her daughter’s cognitive abilities.

“My mom asked me, ‘Who am I? What’s my name?’ In my head, I knew she was my mother, but I just couldn’t connect the dots and express it,” Ashley said, describing her confusion and difficulty thinking. “At that moment, I couldn’t tell you her name or her relationship to me.”

Worried, the mother and daughter rushed to the Emergency Department at Wellstar Kennestone Regional Medical Center for immediate medical treatment. After being evaluated, it was clear that Ashley was dealing with much more than just a bad headache—she was having a stroke.

Any time a person experiences a stroke, the brain can have a very severe reaction. In Ashley’s case, her brain began to swell. If we didn’t address the issue immediately, the brain could end up ‘choking’ itself within the rigid confines of the skull.

- Dr. Joseph Hormes

Wellstar Neurologist

Listen to Ashley's Story

Emergency stroke care

After quickly being transferred to the Neuro Intensive Care Unit (ICU), Wellstar Neurologist Dr. Joseph Hormes was the first to evaluate her condition.

“When Ashley was admitted to the hospital, she was dealing with a very complex neurological illness,” Dr. Hormes recalled. “Due to an unusual blood-clotting issue, she was experiencing a hemorrhagic stroke which caused life-threatening bleeding in her brain.”

Unlike more common ischemic strokes which are caused by a blocked artery in the brain, a hemorrhagic stroke occurs when a blood vessel in the brain leaks or ruptures. According to the American Stroke Association, hemorrhagic strokes account for just 13% of all stroke cases.

Even so, the Wellstar care team was prepared to handle the complex case. A team of physicians sprang into action, giving Ashley immediate care and closely monitoring the situation. However, after a few days in the hospital, Ashley’s condition wasn’t getting any better.

“Any time a person experiences a stroke, the brain can have a very severe reaction,” Dr. Hormes explained, “In Ashley’s case, her brain began to swell. If we didn’t address the issue immediately, the brain could end up ‘choking’ itself within the rigid confines of the skull.”

Dr. Hormes didn’t waste any time to save Ashley’s life.

“Right away, we assembled a team of expert physicians, including a neurologist, neurosurgeon, neurointensivist and hematologist, who all worked together to provide the best care possible for Ashley,” said Dr. Hormes.

As Ashley’s condition continued to deteriorate, her brain pressure reached a critical point. The physicians rushed her into emergency craniotomy surgery.

During the surgical procedure, a piece of Ashley’s skull—called a skull flap—was expertly removed to allow her brain to swell freely. The portion of skull was surgically implanted into her abdomen tissue to keep it viable for reimplantation. This method would allow her brain time to heal on its own without being hindered by the skull.

Dr. Hormes commented on how the dedicated team came together to save Ashley’s life.

“At Wellstar, medicine is not a one-person sport,” the neurologist said. “It takes a team effort to take care of our patients. To provide critical care and save lives, we must have the right specialists at the right time and the right place.”

With her Wellstar team behind her, Ashley made it through surgery and spent the next two weeks in a medically-induced coma so her brain could begin healing. However, Ashley’s path back to better health was just beginning.

Working towards recovery

After waking up from the induced coma, Ashley grappled with the reality of having had a stroke. At the time of the event, Ashley wasn’t even 30 years old, which made it even more difficult for her to deal with the diagnosis.

“The word ‘stroke’ wasn’t even a part of my usual vocabulary,” Ashley said, addressing how the diagnosis was a total shock. “I always thought only older people could have strokes before I had mine.”

Unfortunately, strokes have no age limits—they can happen to anyone. While strokes are more common for the elderly, the American Stroke Association reports that people of all ages can experience a stroke, including children and infants.

While also juggling the emotional side effects of the stroke, it was a balancing act to keep her physical health in check. Finding the right mix of medication was tricky: many common medications used to treat strokes were the polar opposite treatments recommended to keep Ashley’s Crohn’s disease under control.

However, her care team took the challenges head-on with solutions that would address both conditions. “My Wellstar physicians were wonderful at finding the treatments that were most beneficial for treating the stroke, but wouldn’t send my Crohn’s into chaos,” Ashley said.

From there, weeks turned to months in the hospital as Ashley began working towards recovery. Along with the right medications, Ashley also dealt with other external factors that slowed her progress. From suffering an unexpected fall to developing an infection on her head wound, many challenges pushed back her surgery date to get her skull flap reattached.

“It was a long road with good days and bad days,” Ashley said, noting how her devoted care team made all the difference in her recovery.

Then in January, several months after being admitted to the hospital, Ashley underwent surgery to reattach her skull. After the successful procedure, Ashley made it her mission to be home before the next major holiday.

“My nurses promised me I wouldn’t end up spending Valentine’s Day in the hospital,” Ashley recalled the special memory. “They worked so hard to make sure everything aligned so I could be home. In the end, I was discharged on February 13th — just in time for the holiday.”

After months in the hospital, Ashley was finally home. However, she still had both physical and mental hurdles to work through. After being declared a fall risk, she had to temporarily move back in with her parents for constant monitoring.

“At that time, I couldn’t be left alone,” Ashley said, remembering the difficult start of her recovery. “It was really hard. I was so delicate physically, but I still felt like an active 28-year-old in my mind.”

Soon, Ashley was cleared to start stroke rehabilitation which was a big step in recovery. She harnessed the strength and determination to move forward step by step, focusing on physical therapy to improve her mobility.

“My friends and family were very encouraging with physical therapy,” Ashley said, remembering how she used the extra inspiration to fuel her physical recovery.

But it wasn’t just her relatives that helped her have a positive mindset. Ashley found a new family of Wellstar physicians that motivated her along the way.

“Through physical rehabilitation, my physicians helped me realize that I could live a fulfilling life after having a stroke,” Ashley smiled. “I didn’t want to sit on the sidelines and watch life happen around me. I wasn’t going to let my medical episode set me back.”

 



New beginnings

Through the years, Ashley diligently stayed on her wellness journey and settled into a new normal.

According to the American Stroke Association, people who have experienced one stroke have a much higher risk of experiencing another event in the future. With this in mind, she regularly saw Dr. Hormes to help manage her health and prevent another stroke.

Almost eight years after her stroke, Ashley got some joyous news. She and her husband were going to have a baby, and along with the elation and promise of new life came a pang of uncertainty.

“When I got pregnant, Dr. Hormes was one of the first physicians I texted,” Ashley said, noting the excellent patient relationship she has formed with the neurologist. “After having a stroke years ago, I was nervous about the pregnancy and wanted to make sure everything would be okay.”

For Ashley, becoming pregnant was nothing short of a miracle.

“For years, having a child was always up in the air. I was never sure if I would be able to have a child safely or if it would happen,” Ashley explained.

With her medical history, she was considered a high-risk pregnancy and would need constant monitoring until she gave birth. However, there was no doubt in her mind that her child would be born at Wellstar Kennestone Regional Medical Center.

“From the beginning, Wellstar was the place I had always received care. In fact, I was even born at Kennestone Hospital,” Ashley said.

Keeping everything in the same healthcare family had many benefits and made it easier when it came to her regular medical appointments.

“After my stroke and pregnancy years later, it was very comforting that Wellstar knew my medical history and had all of my records in their system,” Ashley said. “I didn’t have to rehash my entire medical episode at every appointment—they had all of the information right there at their fingertips.”

From September to September

For Ashley, Wellstar’s patient-centered care approach made her entire pregnancy easier.

Along with constant communication and support from Dr. Hormes, she had a total of five physicians providing coordinated care and closely monitoring her condition throughout the pregnancy. Nine months later, she welcomed a healthy baby boy into the world the very same month she had experienced a stroke eight years before.

“September used to be a very dark month for me. I would almost get lost in the memories of my stroke during that time of year,” Ashley said, remembering the troubling time. “But September became my brightest month ever, once my baby Luke was born.”

The birth brought peace and hope to the new mother, helping to put life into perspective. Now, Ashley has focused her energy on keeping a positive outlook for whatever comes her way.

“Getting through a stroke was a hard struggle. Some days, everything seemed negative, like the world was crashing down around me,” Ashley said, explaining her darkest moments.

“Now, I like to celebrate the little things,” she continued. “After Luke’s birth, September became a time to celebrate new life and new beginnings. Through everything over the past few years, I learned to pick myself up from the dust and keep going.”

Every step of the way, Ashley learned to rely on Wellstar for continued care. Dr. Hormes, who had been with Ashley from the beginning, was delighted at her progress.

“The most rewarding part of my work is healing patients,” Dr. Hormes beamed. “When patients like Ashley visit me after they’ve recovered or start new chapters in life, it’s the best paycheck I could ever get.”

As a mother and stroke survivor, Ashley encourages everyone to take charge of their wellness throughout their life.

“You have to be your own health advocate,” she said. “You are your greatest supporter because nobody’s going to speak up louder or stronger than you.”

Through it all, Ashley credited Wellstar with helping her through all her health hurdles and triumphs.

“Wellstar has always been there for me, from my birth to my stroke to the birth of my son,” Ashley said. “They saved my life—and then helped me bring new life into the world. Today, I’m in such a great place because of Wellstar.”

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Runners take their mark on the track. Text reads XanderCare.

PeopleCare

XanderCare

Xander Garanzuay, a long-distance runner, never imagined his high school track meet would end with him being airlifted to the hospital. But when a discus struck him in the head, he suffered a depressed skull fracture and needed emergency surgery.

Thanks to the quick action and collaboration of Wellstar Kennestone Regional Medical Center's trauma and neurosurgery teams, Xander is now back to running. His story highlights the resilience of the human body, the strength of family and the impact of expert care.

A sudden accident

After finishing the 2-mile race at a track meet in Cartersville, Xander stayed to support his Woodstock High School teammates. When he was ready to go home, he texted his parents.

A few moments later, everything changed. While tossing a ball with his friend, Xander ran to retrieve it—just as a discus struck him in the head.

The discus hit Xander on the left side of his head with such force that he fell unconscious. Xander began seizing—his condition was critical. While his friend raced to notify their coaches, Kelly, Xander’s mom, had arrived to pick him up.

“I’m sitting out front texting Xander, ‘I’m here,’ when emergency vehicles start pulling up,” Kelly said. “Then my husband called—‘Xander’s been hit.’”

Kelly stayed with Xander as EMS evaluated him. “He was awake but not coherent,” she noted. They determined he would need to be airlifted to Wellstar Kennestone, a Level I Trauma Center.

Life-saving surgery

Xander was swiftly transported to Wellstar Kennestone, where the trauma team was ready to act. Upon arrival, Wellstar Neurosurgeon Dr. Phillip Parry assessed the severity of Xander’s injury: a depressed skull fracture causing seizures.

“The discus is a large weight—picture a five-pound Frisbee—that is flung through the air,” said Dr. Parry. “Thankfully, Xander’s skull protected his brain, but he essentially sustained a ballistic injury to the skull.”

The impact to the left side of Xander’s skull left him with a fixed-focus neurologic deficit. His right arm—his dominant arm—had no muscle strength, and his right leg was weak.

Dr. Parry performed an emergency craniotomy to remove the bone pressing on Xander’s brain. The surgery was successful, but the road ahead was uncertain.

“The biggest challenge wasn’t the surgery itself—this is something we do every day,” he said. “It was telling a 16-year-old and his mother that we didn’t know whether he would regain function in his dominant arm.”

Kelly had to trust in the care Xander was receiving. “You don’t know what you’re going to do in that situation. Nothing prepares you,” she said. “I had to have faith that he was in the right hands—and he truly was.”

Steady progress

The day after Xander’s surgery, Wellstar Kennestone’s physical and occupational therapy teams began working at his bedside to restore movement in his non-functioning arm and leg.

“You want to do everything you can to optimize the body’s ability to heal,” said Dr. Parry. “It was important that we provided that environment for him.”

Xander’s positive attitude and determination played a crucial role in regaining function. His dad, Xavier, was amazed by his son’s resilience.

“He was so proactive and driven to get better,” Xavier said. “It was inspiring to watch.”

Still, sometimes the reality of what happened sank in. “He woke up one night and said, ‘I could have died,’” his mom remembered. “I told him, ‘Yes, but you didn’t.’ He said, ‘God must have something really special planned for me.’”

Xander applied the same fortitude from running to each step of his healing. “Sometimes you can be your own worst enemy, but you can also be your biggest supporter,” he said. “If you don’t believe in yourself, how can anyone else believe in you?”

Care that made a difference

Xander spent six days at Wellstar Kennestone before being transferred to inpatient rehabilitation. The support from Wellstar’s care team made a lasting impact.

They were there for whatever we needed—compassionate and always listening to Xander’s needs,” Kelly said.

One night during his stay, Xander woke needing help to get to the restroom. When a nurse arrived, he suddenly began seizing. “I’ve never seen eight nurses in a room so quickly,” his mom recalled. “Everyone knew exactly what to do.”

One poignant moment came when Xander’s family had the discus—now a symbol of victory over his injury—signed by his care team.

“It’s rewarding as a physician to know that I played a small part in restoring his ability to use his arm again,” Dr. Parry reflected. “As a parent, I know the anxiety that comes with the uncertainty of neurologic recovery. To see Xander move his arms and legs again, as if nothing happened, is a relief that’s indescribable.”

The power of community

Xander’s recovery was supported not only by his family and Wellstar care team, but also by his school and community. After the accident, his track team dedicated the next meet to him, with “Run for Xander” wristbands and signs. A teammate also started a GoFundMe campaign, which raised nearly $13,000 to help with the family’s medical expenses.

“People from all over came together for Xander,” Xavier said. “Posts on his team’s Facebook page were shared with running clubs from Canada to Miami. We were blown away.”

Xander was especially touched by the support. “This whole experience showed me how much my family loves me,” he said. “Seeing my friends, teachers and even family from Texas come to help—it meant so much.”

A bright future

After two and a half weeks of inpatient rehabilitation, Xander transitioned to outpatient rehab and continued regular follow-ups with Dr. Parry at the Wellstar Neurosurgery clinic. “At each phase, he received the best possible care,” explained Dr. Parry. “That’s why he had such a great outcome.”

Today, Xander is almost fully recovered and back doing what he loves most—running. “Physically and mentally, he’s doing phenomenal,” Kelly said. “He has his own training program. I am so proud of him.”

Xander’s progress wouldn’t have been possible without the trauma care network that supported him every step of the way. “The benefit of the trauma network can’t be overstated,” Dr. Parry said. “It ensures people get the best possible outcome even on their worst day.”

With expert care and determination, Xander is ready for whatever comes next.

Learn more about Trauma Services and Neuro Care at Wellstar.

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Wellstar’s Atherton Place Honors 80 Years of Love and Service with Ray and Ellie Williams

Cheers and history intertwined on Friday, August 15, 2025, as Ray and Ellie Williams—both proud U.S. Navy veterans—marked an extraordinary milestone: their 80th wedding anniversary. Their remarkable love story began on one of the most pivotal days in American history, when Japan announced its surrender, bringing World War II to a close and ushering in a new era of peace.

Ray, now 101, served 21 years in the Navy, including during WWII and the Korean War. Ellie, who will turn 100 on August 31, proudly served in the WAVES (Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service) program, a pioneering initiative for women in the U.S. Navy Reserve. The two met in April of 1945 when Ray returned from the Pacific and was sent to the Navy headquarters in Gainesville, Ga., where Ellie worked in the administration office. They married after a whirlwind four-month courtship.

A friendly image of Ray and Ellie

The couple exchanged vows on August 15, 1945, the same day Japan announced its surrender, marking the beginning of peace and the end of a global conflict. Their wedding day, linked to V-J Day (Victory over Japan Day), has become a symbol of love, sacrifice and the enduring strength of the human spirit.

Ray and Ellie remember their wedding day well. “It was a wonderful day,” said Ellie. “All the guys were celebrating that the war was over.”

“The mood in the nation was ultimate joy and relief,” said Ray. “And, of course, we had the personal joy of being newlyweds, so it was a double-joy for us.” 

Now residents of Wellstar’s Atherton Place, Ray and Ellie were among the honorees at a special ceremony on Friday, hosted by the community. The event, which also paid tribute to the many veterans who call Atherton Place home, brought together family, friends, fellow residents and Wellstar team members to celebrate not only the couple’s milestone, but also the legacy of service that defines the community.

The ceremony included a proclamation by Marietta Mayor Steve Tumlin, who declared August 15, 2025, as “Ray and Ellie Williams Day.”

“Their commitment to each other is truly inspiring,” said Anita Perkins, manager of resident care at Atherton Place. “It’s an honor to care for them and to celebrate their incredible bond with our entire community.”

Located on the campus of Wellstar Kennestone Regional Medical Center, Atherton Place offers a vibrant and supportive environment for seniors, several of whom are veterans. The event highlighted the community’s commitment to honoring its residents’ lives and legacies.

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MarioCare

Being proactive with his heart health proved lifesaving for Marion “Mario” Stokes—and paved the way for a minimally invasive artery replacement procedure that has given him renewed energy to do what he loves.

Catching a heart concern 

Mario enjoyed a busy career as an attorney practicing commercial litigation. He also stayed active throughout his life, serving as a Navy Judge Advocate General Corps officer, becoming a certified scuba divemaster, and enjoying photography and studying history. When he noticed he was out of breath frequently—and his smart watch notified him of an irregular heartbeat—he discussed his symptoms with his primary care physician. 

An electrocardiogram detected a leaky aortic valve, and after discussion with his care team at Wellstar Center for Cardiovascular Care, Mario decided to proceed with a transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR).

Advanced, minimally invasive surgery

Aortic stenosis occurs when the aortic valve narrows, preventing normal flow of blood from the left ventricle, also known as the pumping chamber of the heart, to the aorta and the rest of the body. Over time, this narrowing causes the heart’s left ventricle to pump harder to push blood through the stenotic aortic valve.

“TAVR is an amazing technology offering a minimally invasive alternative to open-heart surgery,” said Wellstar Cardiologist Dr. Nabil Sabbak, who performed Mario’s procedure at Wellstar Kennestone Regional Medical Center. “The valve is delivered through a small catheter via a tiny incision in the groin, eliminating the need to open the chest or stop the heart. This approach is lower-risk for many patients and allows for a quicker recovery with less pain.”

Most patients are walking within hours of the procedure and leave the hospital within 24 hours, according to Dr. Sabbak. Many people return to daily activities within a week.

“I’m very sensitive to pain, but nothing ever hurt,” Mario said about his procedure.

‘It’s like a new heart’

Mario said his valve replacement has given him more energy than he had before, allowing him to enjoy his retirement and time with family. The improvement is evident in his regular walks around his neighborhood and exercise at Wellstar Health Place.

“There's a steep hill that's near our house. Before the procedure, I couldn't walk up the hill without stopping at least once or twice to pause and get my breath,” he said. “Now I can just walk right up—no problem. It's made a huge difference in my life."

He stays busy with his fiancée and their three-year-old granddaughter—taking her on trips to the zoo, botanical gardens and nature center—as well as visiting his two children in Las Vegas and Philadelphia.

“It's like a new heart. It's unbelievable really,” Mario said. “I slept twice as much before. Sometimes I'd sleep 10 or 12 hours a night and then maybe take a nap. I was really out of energy.”

He is also building strength at cardiac rehabilitation three times a week at Wellstar Vinings Health Park, as well as continuing treatment with his Wellstar heart care team.

“I have been super pleased with Wellstar,” Mario said. “The folks there are very professional, and they have a wonderful combination of intelligence, education and caring, from the receptionists to the nurses, physician assistants and doctors.”

Learn more about heart care at Wellstar.

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Mario Stokes

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