John McKitrick's Stroke Recovery

John McKitrick is the kind of guy everyone should know. He is a loving, devoted husband of 33 years to his wife, Angie, and a fun-loving, supportive father to their daughter, Emily. As a retired school teacher and wrestling coach, John pursues his passions for singing, crafting, and gardening into full-time activities. Any day of the week, he can be found practicing and preforming with his four bands; or hunting for antique treasures to turn into modern furniture and baubles; or planting his annual vegetable garden. In addition to his hobbies, he also enjoys volunteering for Meals on Wheels and helping elderly neighbors with odd-jobs. And like any good Clevelander, he rarely misses a sporting  event; he is a lifelong fan of all three major sports teams. 

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In the early morning hours of April 24th, one day before John's 61st birthday, he was life flighted to University Hospitals in Cleveland. He had awoken in the middle of the night with extreme vertigo and nausea - completely foreign and unexpected. Not one to complain of illness, John's intuition told him that something was very wrong, so he and his wife made their way to the local emergency room. There at Amherst Hospital it was determined that more advanced medical treatment was urgently needed, so John was sent on the medical helicopter to UH. 

After running scans and tests, the medical team at UH was able to come up with a diagnosis: John had suffered a cerebellar stroke - a rare type of stroke that effects less than 10% of all stroke patients. Considering John's previous good health, the situation was surreal. But, the neurology team was hopeful and estimated that he could be sent to rehab in four day's time. 

However, on the 26th of April, just one day after John celebrated his 61st birthday in the hospital, he suffered yet another stroke - this time larger and more severe than the first. The consequences of the second stroke were almost impossible to comprehend. The second stroke caused John's brain to swell so much that an emergency craniotomy had to be performed. After the surgery, John's was having difficulty swallowing. This impacted his breathing and he was placed on a ventilator. 

John has since recovered from the ventilator, and is currently using a tracheostomy tube for breathing and communicating. He also has had a feeding tube placed. Doctors hope both to be temporary as his body recovers from the damage of both strokes. 

John was discharged on May 15th, from UH and sent to an acute rehab facility in Avon. Despite all of his setbacks, John is eager to get back his independence and is determined to work hard. At the acute rehab facility, John worked with therapists for 4 hours each day. 

However, on May 20th, John experienced severe pain, nausea, and developed a fever. Nurses at the rehab facility were concerned and John was re-admitted to UH in Cleveland. The doctors at UH determined that he has an infection and are treating him with antibiotics. Once the fever and infection are controlled, John will return to the rehab facility in Avon to continue with therapy.