A Special Thanksgiving For Elias Lumpkins
A former Grand Rapids Third Ward City Commissioner, Elias Lumpkins is especially grateful to see Thanksgiving this year. He recently suffered a stroke, which could have impaired him for life or could have ended his life.
"I thank God for pulling me through. I am grateful that my wife, Ruth, was able to call Laura Moody, who is a nurse, and the First Lady at Brown - Hutcherson Ministries, and a friend," said Elias, whom former students still fondly called Dean Lumpkins, the title earned during his years on staff at Grand Rapids Community College.
Timing — rapid response — both were very important.
Based upon the slurred speech and things of that nature that my wife described to her, Laura's advice was to call 911 and to take me directly to the hospital.
The ambulance workers were very prompt in responding to the call, and got me to the hospital quickly I learned that in the case of a stroke, if the patients get treatment within a three - hour period, doctors can give the them what is called a clot - buster, which will break up the blood clots that are causing the problem in the brain and body.
So, the clot buster really limited the damage to my heart and to my health; whereas, if we had not called 911 and gotten me to the hospital as soon as possible, I probably would not have gotten there in time.
I am very thankful that my wife and Laura Moody played a played a role in saving my life and that the hospital got the medication administered.
Now I am going through recovery, home care nursing; and, eventually, I hope to go to therapy. I am home and I am also grateful that this experience brought my family together.
I am not at one - hundred percent yet, but I am on the road to recovery.
I would also thank my Pastor Dwight Gutridge and all the members of St. Luke AME Zion Church who called and prayed and visited with me. I had a lot of visitors at the hospital. Some were even repeat visitors.
I received excellent care at
the hospital."
Since she is a registered nurse, this was not the first time that Laura Moody had been called about a addressing a similar situation.
She shared the following account about the Lumpkins' experience:
"Ruth Lumpkins had called me and I didn't answer. She called me again. When I called her back, she told me that her husband Elias was not doing well.
She said that he was just staring off into the distance and that one of his arms was drooping, so I told her to call 911 and that I would meet them at the hospital.
The e - unit got to the Lumpkins' home. Took him to the hospital and he had mild stroke symptoms on his left side and his left arm was week.
The doctor came in and explained that they thought that he was having a stroke and they wanted to know about administering him what they call a "clot buster" which dissolves blood clots within the first three hours.
Ruth Lumpkins told me that on the the night before, she and her family had all been to an event and Mr. Lumpkins was eating and wanted some ice cream.
By the time she went downstairs to get the ice cream and came back up, he was just staring; so she knew that something wasn't right.
Obviously the "clot buster" did a lot of good because he is still with us."
I look at this situation and I compare it to my brother Michael Johnson who had a stroke. I am glad that he is still here; but he wasn't able to get the "clot buster" because of the timing.
Michael had had stroke symptoms, but no one knew that he was displaying the stroke symptoms. Had we gotten him to the hospital a couple of days before, he would be better off.
It is so important that people know about acting fast when it comes to someone having a stroke.
It was just a blessing to have been able to get him there in a certain time period as soon as the symptoms started. When it comes to recognizing symptoms of stroke, think F.A.S.T.:
F - face drooping
A - arm weakness
S - speech difficulty
T - time to call 911
I always say that the body you save may be your own.
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