Time is the key to preventing death and disability from stroke. So, when a patient suffering a stroke arrives at the UAB Hospital Emergency Department (ED), a rapid response team strives to provide the most appropriate care in the shortest time possible.

At the age of 55, Huntsville, Ala. resident Scott Stanfield was living life to the fullest when he suffered two strokes. On the advice of his daughter, he came to UAB Medicine for treatment and fully recovered. Now, he answers some questions about his experiences during his care journey, stresses the importance of living in the moment, and shares his gratitude for the excellent care he received at UAB Medicine.

Throughout my 25-year occupational therapy career, I’ve had the opportunity to treat a variety of diagnoses and conditions, but I’ve always been drawn to our neuro population. My career began in inpatient care, then I moved on to a neuro outpatient setting. During that time, I also had the opportunity to teach continuing neuro education courses and work as a consultant with a company that develops products to help patients use their stroke-affected side while performing task-specific repetitive training.

Many people with high blood pressure (hypertension) don't know they have it. It causes damage slowly over a long period of time, often without noticeable symptoms, and it puts you at greater risks for developing life-changing and life-threatening medical conditions.