When Vera McAdoo was experiencing bleeding in her brain, Wellstar didn’t give up and stayed by her side for every step of recovery.
In September 2019, Vera was at work as an inventory analyst. Then, she suddenly woke up in the emergency department at Wellstar Kennestone Hospital.
She had a bleeding arteriovenous fistula, an abnormal connection between the arteries and veins in the brain. She had been exhibiting some worrying signs. She was not talking, she couldn’t open her eyes, and her pupils were not responding.
But Wellstar Neurosurgeon Dr. William Humphries saw hope, and Wellstar was there when seconds mattered.
Vera was taken to the angiography suite for a catheter-based treatment to control the source of the bleeding before going to the operating room. She underwent an emergent surgery to remove the fistula and treat the swelling in her brain by removing part of her skull.
She was in a coma in the Neuro-Intensive Care Unit for 30 days, but her care team never gave up. Then, as she started healing, Kennestone’s inpatient rehabilitation program stepped in, ensuring she had the tools and support she needed to return to routine.
Kennestone is home to a specialized Neuro-Intensive Care Unit staffed with a multidisciplinary team of neurocritical care physicians, neurologists and nurses experienced in treating the most complex stroke and aneurysm cases.
“It was a blessing that Dr. Humphries was there and saved my life,” Vera said. “My care at Kennestone was great.”
To learn more about how Wellstar treats conditions involving the brain, visit our neuro care site.
