Chino Hills Stroke Survivor Thanks his Family and Fellow First Responders for the Fast Action that Saved his Life

Retired 55-year-old firefighter George Rojas awoke at his normal 5:30 a.m. in early November of last year and realized something wasn’t right. The Chino Hills resident immediately noticed that his left arm was dangling, and it felt removed from his body, almost as if it were floating.

“I thought what could it be, I could hear and see things, but it was like I was in a tunnel,” said George. “I had fixed homemade salsa the night before and I thought it might be food poisoning.”

A stroke was the furthest thing from his mind as George thought he was in good shape from the more than 100 miles a week he regularly puts in as an avid bicyclist. But when his wife discovered him in the bathroom moaning and groaning, and having difficulty trying to move, she called 911.

George was adamant that his first-responder brethren wouldn’t find him on the floor when they arrived, and with the help of his daughter he made it to the restroom sink. The stroke prevented him from going any further and ultimately he collapsed on the bathroom floor. His wife and daughter were nervous and scared.

“My wife was on the phone to 911 asking where were the EMTs,” said George. “They told her it’s only been three minutes, and the national average is six minutes; shortly after the firefighters arrived on scene and my youngest daughter was waiting downstairs to show them where I was.”

As the EMTs went to work they quickly ruled out a heart attack. The responders saw the droop in George’s face, saw the left side of his body was in paralysis and immediately knew he was experiencing a stroke.

According to the American Stroke Association each year nearly 800,000 people in the United States experience a stroke. It is the fifth leading cause of death and a leading cause of long-term disability in the U.S. Learning how to recognize the warning signs can help save lives.

According to the American Stroke Association, the way to identify a stroke and respond is to use the BE FAST acronym:

• B – Balance loss
• E – Eye (vision) changes
• F – Face drooping or twisting
• A – Arm weakness
• S – Speech difficulty
• T – Time to call 911

“I asked them where they were taking me and if it was a stroke center,” said George. “They said we were going to Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center (PVHMC), and it is a stroke center.”

George was transported to PVHMC, a designated regional Comprehensive Stroke Center, certified by The Joint Commission and the American Heart Association. PVHMC offers advanced specialized neuro-intensive care to treat complex stroke cases.

George underwent an hour and forty-five-minute procedure where he received tissue plasminogen activator (tPA), an IV medication used to break down clots and restore blood flow to the brain. To be effective, tPA needs to be administered as soon as possible after the first stroke symptom.

“My timing was perfect,” said George. “If my wife hadn’t have called 911 when she did and the responders had arrived later, I wouldn’t have come through this situation with no deficits.”

Because George’s stroke was quickly identified and treated, he had no lasting paralysis and passed all the cognitive tests he was given. After a couple of days in the hospital, George went home with a prescription for a blood thinner and instructions to take a baby aspirin daily.

“When a stroke occurs, every second matters and George’s family recognized the signs and acted quickly,” said Adeel Popalzai, DO, medical director of the stroke program, PVHMC. “Because of their immediate actions and his proximity to our comprehensive stroke center, George was able to recover quickly and has retained his mobility and cognitive abilities, which is the ideal outcome we hope for each stroke patient.”

There are many reasons that people can experience a stroke. Those who are at highest risk include those with high blood pressure, high cholesterol, atrial fibrillation, smoking, sedentary lifestyle, obesity, age, and family history. Dr. Popalzai recommends that people visit their primary care doctor for their annual health screening to understand their risk factors and how to manage them.

After a week in the hospital, George was discharged and was surprised by a visit from Chino Valley Fire Department first responders. They brought him flowers and were there to check on one of their own. George recognized the name of one of the responders who visited him to check on his recovery.

“I knew his stepdad; we used to work together,” said George. “It was pretty cool to see the firefighter family legacy carried on.”

One of first responders who visited George was himself a stroke survivor and had words of encouragement for George.

“He told me he had a stroke when he was 35 and here years later, he was still on the job,” said George. “He told me you’ll be fine, just make some adjustments to your lifestyle.”

George has made those adjustments, and he’s back on his bike logging 100 miles a week again.

“I can’t thank the stroke team and the folks in the emergency room enough for me being able to survive the stroke without any issues,” said George. “They’re professionals and part of our first responder team – they treat everything as serious, the same way we do.”