Stroke Survivor Defies Odds After Grim Diagnosis

Early treatment and intensive therapy paved the way for recovery.

After experiencing stroke symptoms, **Nestor Montalvo** faced a dire prognosis. Prompt action and dedicated rehabilitation helped him beat the odds and regain his life.

Unexpected Symptoms Strike

**Nestor Montalvo**, 61, experienced a sudden, intense headache, blurred vision, and numbness on his right side, leading to a fall. “Everything started spinning. I went to stand up, and I fell,” he recounted. His wife called 911, and he was rushed to the hospital.

Grim Prognosis, Swift Action

Upon regaining consciousness, the retired New York cop overheard doctors discussing his chances: a mere “15 percent percent chance of survival.” He had suffered an ischemic stroke, caused by a clot restricting blood flow to the brain.

Ischemic strokes account for 87 percent of all strokes. Symptoms include sudden weakness, speech difficulties, vision problems, severe headache, and dizziness. In the U.S., someone has a stroke every 40 seconds (CDC).

“I was like ‘Oh my God, I’m going to die. I don’t even have a chance to say goodbye to anybody,’” **Montalvo** remembered.

Time is Brain

“Time is brain,” explained **Dr. Taylor Kimberley**, chief of neurocritical care at Massachusetts General Hospital. Rapid treatment is crucial to minimize brain damage. At Catholic Health’s Mercy Hospital, **Montalvo** was quickly assessed and sent for a CT scan.

Within minutes of arrival, **Montalvo** received TNK, a clot-busting medication, followed by a procedure to ensure the clot wouldn’t return. Despite the swift action, complications arose; his vocal cords stopped working, necessitating a tracheostomy.

Road to Recovery

For six weeks, **Montalvo** underwent intensive speech therapy to regain his ability to speak and swallow. Eventually, the tracheostomy tube was removed, and after further procedures, he was able to share Thanksgiving dinner with his family.

Life After Stroke

Nearly a year later, **Montalvo**’s life is returning to normal, though he still uses a cane and requires outpatient treatment. He emphasizes the importance of appreciating life, noting, “You take life for granted, and then when something like this happens, it wakes you up.”

He added, “You hear people talk about it, and it just sounds like it’s not going to happen to you. All of a sudden, it happens to you.”