Surviving stroke thanks to The Alfred - Ariel’s story

Immediately realising it was a stroke, Daniel phoned 000 and paramedics arrived within minutes. 

In the ambulance, Daniel was given the option of two hospitals; he chose the closer one – The Alfred.  

Upon arrival at The Alfred, the staff wasted no time. Daniel and Ariel only later found out that The Alfred at the time was one of only two hospitals in Melbourne with the technology to extract the type of clot that was in Ariel’s brain, causing paralysis. 

After a scan determined the best way to proceed, a catheter was inserted via a vessel in the groin to extract the clot. 

“After just two nights in hospital, the specialist told me I could take her home – I thought he was joking!” Daniel said. “He wasn’t and Ariel has been fine ever since.” 

Ariel and Daniel will always be grateful to The Alfred and the ambulance service. 

“If all those involved had not responded as they did, we would have been in a nursing home,” Daniel said. 

This week is National Stroke Week, until 14 August. 

Stroke attacks the brain, the human control centre. When a stroke happens, more than 1.9 million brain cells die each minute, but time-critical treatment can stop this damage. 

The first step in getting better outcomes from stroke is getting to hospital quickly, and that means recognising the F.A.S.T. signs and calling triple zero (000) straight away. 

For information, visit strokefoundation.org.au