“I Know What Critical Care Looks Like.”
A Daughter’s Perspective on a Night That Mattered
Nan Kern recognized the warning signs when her husband could not move his arm and exhibited facial drooping. She drove him to the Emergency Department at Bates County Memorial Hospital, where stroke protocol was already in motion.
Bill Kern woke in the middle of the night and tried to turn over in bed. He couldn’t.
His movements, what Nan later described as “thrashing,” woke his wife. She noticed his words were garbled, one side of his face drooped, and he couldn’t move one of his arms.
Nan recognized the signs of stroke, and she did not wait.
Bill was able to walk to the car, and Nan drove him to the Emergency Department at Bates County Memorial Hospital.
Their daughter, Tainya Robinson, lives near the hospital. She has spent 25 years working in hospital emergency departments and patient access leadership, most recently with St. Luke’s Health System.
When she arrived, her dad was on his way to a CT scan. The scan confirmed the stroke was caused by a clot rather than bleeding in the brain, allowing the emergency team to safely administer clot-busting medication.
Everything that followed moved quickly.
“Before my dad even came out of CT, the helicopter was landing,” she said. “I told my mom, ‘LifeFlight just came in.’ She thought they must be there for someone else. It was that fast.”
As physicians and nurses worked at Bill’s bedside, preparations were also being made for the next step in his care.
Once stabilized, Bill was transferred by LifeFlight Eagle to Research Medical Center for continued treatment. The hours that followed were uncertain. At first, he struggled to speak and could not walk on his own, but his family reported he quickly responded to treatment. After five weeks of rehabilitation, Bill had made significant improvement. He can walk with a cane or walker, and while his speech is slower, he does not slur when he talks.
About a month after Bill’s stroke, Tainya stopped by the emergency department to thank the staff personally for the care they gave her dad.
“I’ve worked in emergency rooms for 25 years. I know what critical care looks like,” Robinson said. “That’s why I came back to thank them. They did an outstanding job that night.”
For the Kern family, recognizing the signs and acting quickly made all the difference. Tainya has seen stroke outcomes that do not turn out this way.
“I know how bad they can be,” she said. “Not everyone bounces back like my dad did.”
