Lockport Man Survives Stroke Following Heart Surgery at Silver Cross Hospital

Lockport resident Wayne Waddell suffered a stroke following heart surgery at Silver Cross Hospital. His wife Judy, noticed something was wrong and immediately called for help. Luckily Wayne was in the right place at the right time. He survived the stroke, is doing great and spending the holidays with loved ones.

By Tracy Simons | Silver Cross Hospital

Wayne Waddell was getting ready to go home from the hospital when he suffered a stroke on May 29, 2014. Just days before, paramedics had brought the Lockport resident to Silver Cross after experiencing a cardiac arrhythmia. This resulted in Waddell having a defibrillator placed to protect his heart from the rhythm happening again.

While Waddell was eating lunch, his wife, Judy, noticed that something was not right. He was trying to eat his soup using his fingers. His face had begun to droop, and couldn’t communicate. Judy quickly called the nurse and within seconds, he was surrounded by a Code Stroke Team.

“I really don’t remember much except seeing a lot of people in the room,” Waddell said.

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Luckily, Dr. Kathleen McCahill, Medical Director of Silver Cross Hospital’s Stroke Program, was in the hallway outside Waddell’s room and rushed in to help. After a quick evaluation, she identified the stroke and called Dr. Harish Shownkeen, who took the 75-year-old to the Neuro Interventional Lab. Using cerebral angiography, Dr. Shownkeen was able to locate the clogged artery in Waddell’s brain causing the stroke and then drive a tiny suction catheter through his arteries to the blood clot. Using that suction catheter he was able to pull out the clot and restore blood flow, preventing permanent damage.

“Wayne was very lucky. If he had been anywhere else when his stroke occurred, the outcome could have been much different,” said Dr. Shownkeen, Medical Director of the Neuro Interventional Program at Silver Cross Hospital. “Since he just had surgery and could not safely receive clot busting drugs, this was his only chance.”

After a short hospital stay, Waddell was discharged under the care of a Silver Cross Home Health nurse. Excited about getting his health back on track, Waddell attended physical therapy and even continued his exercise regimen at a local gym.

“I have worked out regularly over the past 15 years, which may be why I am doing so well. You would never know that I had a stroke,” comments Waddell. “Judy and I recently took a trip to the Dominican Republic, and I feel great.”

To learn more about the warning signs of stroke and treatment available at the Silver Cross Neuroscience Institute, request a free Stroke Awareness Kit at www.silvercross.org/neuro or 1-888-660-HEAL (4325).

About Silver Cross Hospital

Silver Cross Hospital is a not-for-profit health care provider serving Will County and southwest suburban communities since 1895. Silver Cross has been recognized as a Thomson Reuters 100 Top Hospitals National Award winner for seven consecutive years and as a Hospital of Choice by the American Alliance of Healthcare Providers. With over 3,000 employees, physicians and volunteers, Silver Cross operates a 289-bed acute care hospital and 5 satellite facilities providing outpatient services and physician offices. Silver Cross opened a state-of-the-art replacement hospital on February 26, 2012 at I-355 and Route 6 in New Lenox. In 2013, Silver Cross provided over $48 million in charity care and other community benefits. To learn more about Silver Cross Hospital or a referral to a physician on staff, visit www.silvercross.org or call 1-888-660-HEAL (4325). Physicians on Silver Cross Hospital’s Medical Staff have expertise in their areas of practice to meet the needs of patients seeking their care. These physicians are independent practitioners on the Medical Staff and are not the agents or employees of Silver Cross Hospital. They treat patients based upon their independent medical judgment and they bill patients separately for their services.