A very lucky stroke survivor tells his story in this month's Stanford Health Notes and in the video above.
Minutes after slumping over, paralyzed in mid-conversation, Chris McLachlin was taken to the hospital and given life-saving blood clot-busting medicine. A fellow stroke survivor in the room had recognized the signs and called 911.
Strokes, which are the number one cause of adult disability, starve parts of the brain of blood and oxygen. The quicker blood flow can be restored, the less permanent damage occurs. "Time is brain," according to physicians who treat strokes.
McLachlin's speedy treatment made all the difference for him. He's now back working as an assistant coach for Stanford University's men's volleyball team. His youngest son, Spencer McLachlin, captains the team.
