In a stroke, a blockage in a blood vessel stops essential oxygen and nutrients from reaching the brain. One summer day in 2018, 51-year-old Francis Adoley Pappoe felt something pop in his neck after his routine afternoon stroll.
"It was something so strong I couldn't talk for a couple of minutes," recalls the Ghanaian resident. But it passed, and he regained his speech. The rest of the day and night elapsed normally, but at 9:30 the next morning, as Francis was getting ready for breakfast, his right arm and right leg went numb.
Francis was having a stroke. The blood clot had blocked blood flow and oxygen to his brain and when brain cells are deprived of oxygen, they begin to die. When they die, memory and muscle control are lost. Fast action was needed. Francis’ niece Grace Adoley Pappoe who was present at the time came to his aid. By that time, his right side was weak, and when he tried to talk, he made no sense.
Fearing the worst, Grace rushed Francis to a nearby hospital. By the time the two reached the hospital 15 minutes later, Francis could not lift his right arm or leg, speak or understand words. The "pop" he felt in his neck the day before was his carotid artery tearing, a rare event called a carotid dissection. The carotid artery is the main artery supplying blood to the brain.
Not sure about the consequences of the stroke and the effect it would have on Francis’ health, later on, Grace decided to approach Vaidam for a solution and possibly a viable treatment that would involve some form of surgery. After looking through multiple hospitals Grace decided to get her uncle treated at BLK Hospital, New Delhi. “We spoke to a Vaidam Case Manager who guided us through the process and explained a little about the treatment, we also sent our medical reports to her for further analysis by the medical specialist at BLK,” said Grace.
After a week of going through the entire process of obtaining the Visa and making the necessary travel arrangements, Francis and his niece arrived in India on the 6th of August.
“When we arrived, we were received by a Vaidam representative at the airport gate; he also accompanied us to our hotel. Everything was well taken care of, and he also made sure to ask if we needed any assistance during our stay.” As per the arrangement, Francis’ case manager had made an appointment with Dr. Atul Prasad. Francis and Grace made their way to BLK on the day of their appointment and would eventually spend the next five days here.
To their surprise, after the preliminary screening, Dr. Prasad- one of the top neurologist in India, advised against any kind for surgery and recommended Francis receive regular physiotherapy for the next few weeks. “If the physiotherapy didn’t work, we may have to change the course of our treatment, however, Francis’ case looked like one where physiotherapy would suffice,” said Dr. Prasad. After Francis’ condition stabilized, Dr. Prasad decided to go ahead with the rehabilitation.
“BLK - one of the best hospital India for neurology treatments, was very highly recommended, we were very impressed with the caring, knowledgeable staff and wonderful facilities, so we chose it for his rehabilitation,” recalls grace. “The very next week after his stroke, my uncle began to move again with the help of the wonderful therapists. We made daily visits to the hospital for this physiotherapy sessions and were quickly beginning to see signs of improvements.”
After more than a month in India, the two made their way back to their home in Ghana. Francis had a long road back. He was still working on recovering, but has made such remarkable progress! Speaking to Vaidam from Ghana, Francis stated, “I am extremely lucky to have found the right treatment at the right time, otherwise who knows what the outcome would have been. Vaidam has played a pivotal role in my gaining my strength back and for that, I am truly grateful.”
Vaidam would like to wish Francis a speedy recovery and a health and fulfilling life ahead.
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