‘I’m a Christmas miracle’
Kristen Cook was convinced she was going to die on Christmas Eve.
On Dec. 14, 2016, the Port Colborne mother of two young children had just returned home from church when she collapsed.
“I felt something crazy different,” she recalled. “Something I had never felt in my life.”
When paramedics with Niagara Emergency Medical Services first arrived, Cook apologized for bothering them during the holidays.
She was taken by ambulance to the Greater Niagara General Hospital, site of the Niagara District Stroke Centre for the Niagara Health System, where a CT scan revealed Cook, only 40 at the time, had suffered a massive stroke and had bleeding on her brain.
Up until that moment, Cook had no idea how critically ill she was.
“I remember I turned to my husband and said I’m going to die tonight,” she said. “I said my good byes to my husband Ryan and off to Hamilton I went.”
The same two paramedics transported her to a Hamilton hospital for emergency treatment.
From there, she spent seven days at the Niagara District Stroke Centre before being transferred to Hotel Dieu Shaver Health and Rehabilitation Centre in St. Catharines.
“I spent almost two weeks without seeing my babies,” she said, referring to her son Sullivan, nine, and 11-year-old Samantha.
Almost a full year has now passed and as the anniversary of her stroke neared, Cook was determined to see the people who helped to save her life.
“Be so proud of what you guys do,” she said through tears Wednesday when she returned to the stroke centre in Niagara Falls.
“I only knew you for such a short amount of time but you all had such an impact on me. I’ll never ever forgot any of you ever.
The stroke centre, which has operated out of the GNGH since 2003, provides diagnostic testing, inpatient care, rehabilitation and follow-up counselling.
“This was a great opportunity for everyone to see how the things that they do, that they might take for granted because they do them day in and day out, can make such a difference down the road,” said Jennifer Law, clinical manager at the GNGH.
Among those to greet Cook was Scott Chambers, a registered practical nurse who was her primary care nurse during her time at the centre.
“He would tell me, ‘Relax, you got this,’ and I realized he was right, I did have it.”
“They are more than just patients to us,” Chambers said.
Tamara Dickison, also an RPN, agreed.
“This is our home away from home so we try to treat everyone like a family member or a friend,” she said.
“They’re always going to feel loved and taken care of.”
Also on hand for the emotional reunion was paramedic Ben Dorion.
“We didn’t know if she pulled through or not and to see her doing so well is amazing,” he said.
Cook was overcome with emotion as she thanked each person individually.
“I am a Christmas miracle,” she said. “I had to see you all again to thank you for your kindness and to tell you that you are all appreciated.”
Her mother Colleen Maloney also thanked the crew.
“We came this close to losing her,” she said. alangley@postmedia.com