Shay Burk of Hastings
Shay Burk had not given much thought to stroke before the day her husband, Tim, suffered one in their Hastings backyard. But she did know the symptoms. That knowledge, teamed with Shay’s confidence in Mary Lanning Healthcare, reinforced that she was doing the right thing by calling an ambulance.
After arriving at MLH, one of 11 Certified Primary Stroke Centers in Nebraska, Tim was rushed in for a CT scan. Dr. Maxwell Nyce, neurologist, was on hand to order administration of a clot-busting drug. Shortly thereafter, Tim was airlifted to Lincoln for surgery.
“While we were only at Mary Lanning for a short time that day, I was instantly impressed with the speed and care of the team,” Shay said. “There was no doubt that this was a serious situation and everyone was on their ‘A-Game.’ Yet they were all very caring and kind. There’s no doubt that the calmness and control of the staff helped to keep Tim and I relatively calm even in that very stressful situation.”
“I saw no one panicking, or looking lost or confused or stressed,” Shay said. “Honestly, everyone just looked like they knew what they were doing and they got it done.”
Tim stayed in Lincoln for eight days before returning to central Nebraska for inpatient rehabilitation. He stayed in rehabilitation for several weeks. After returning home, Tim had some trouble with swallowing and speech so he completed speech therapy through MLH Outpatient Rehabilitation.
“The speech therapy was vital to helping him be able to eat more foods again and strengthen his voice,” Shay said.
These days, Tim, who remains in a wheelchair, is enjoying interacting with the couple’s three children and has returned to work.
“In the months since the stroke, I have come to realize that there is no doubt in my mind that the long-term effects of Tim’s stroke and his recovery are definitely directly correlated to the high quality and speed of care that he received at Mary Lanning,” Shay said. “We are truly blessed as a community, and as a region, to have a hospital with such a high level of care, especially for conditions and situations when every minute and every second truly counts.”
