Jim Bushy, 57, doesn’t remember much about having a stroke in March 2024.
“I was in the bathroom upstairs, and I couldn’t move the left side of my body. I was looking at my fingers and trying to move them, and they wouldn’t cooperate,” recalled Jim. “There was no pain; it was a very odd feeling.”
But for Jim’s mom, Karen, who lives downstairs – it’s a day she’ll never forget.
“We were supposed to be going to a funeral. I was walking through the foyer, and I heard a loud crash from Jim’s bathroom at the top of the stairs,” she said.
Karen yelled to Jim to ask if he was okay. He responded, but his words sounded garbled.
“I remember yelling to my mom. But the words in my brain were not the words that came out of my mouth. In my head, I was lucid, but physically, the words wouldn’t come out,” said Jim. “All my mom heard was nonsense.”
“At first, I thought he was goofing around. He can be a bit of a comedian,” added Karen. “But when I heard him fall a second time it hit me that he was having a stroke.”
Karen called 911 and paramedics rushed Jim to the emergency department at Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital.
“When I saw him on the gurney, I thought I’d never see him again,” said Karen. “His skin was a frightening gray-green color, his left side was paralyzed, and he was making incoherent sounds. It was terrifying.”
Karen followed the ambulance to Advocate Good Samaritan, where a team of clinicians was waiting for Jim, ready to take immediate action.
“I was particularly struck by how many people were there and the amount of effort they put forth on his behalf. They gave him a clot busting drug, and then one of the doctors told me Jim’s only chance at surviving with any degree of normalcy was to get him to Advocate Lutheran General Hospital,” shared Karen. “They could have easily said they could handle his care, but without hesitation, they moved him to a place where he had the best chance. Their professionalism saved my son’s life.”
Time is critical during a stroke, so Jim was taken to Advocate Lutheran General by Flight for Life.
“He has vague memories of a nurse putting earplugs in his ears and telling him the flight would be loud,” said Karen. “I told him I loved him, and after they took off, I started calling family members. At that point, I still didn’t think I’d ever see him again.”
When Karen arrived at Advocate Lutheran General, Jim had already had surgery to remove a clot in his brain and was in recovery in the neurological intensive care unit.
“From the time the helicopter landed to the time he was in surgery was probably five minutes. The care team was so professional. It was almost like watching a symphony. No movement was wasted. It was purposeful, intentional care, and it was reassuring to me,” she said. “The communication was also outstanding. When the surgeon came in, he showed me pictures of what he’d done. And he was effusive in his praise for his colleagues at Advocate Good Samaritan, who not only saved Jim’s life, but his quality of life.”
Jim spent six days at Advocate Lutheran General, then was moved to a rehabilitation facility to help him regain his strength and speech.
“He walked into the facility himself,” said Karen. “It was just incredible.”
Today, Jim’s life is back to normal.
“He has 100% range of motion and use of words,” said Karen. “He’s been given the okay to drive and exercise and do pretty much anything.”
“It was a relatively easy recovery, and it’s all due to the fast response times of everyone involved,” added Jim. “I’m still receiving follow-up care because they don’t know what caused my stroke. But if it hadn’t been for the paramedics and staff at both hospitals, I could be dead or in a vegetative state.”