A nurse's intuition credited with saving Leonore's life
The incredible moment a stroke survivor reunites with the Bupa telehealth nurse who she credits with helping save her life after recognising the symptoms of stroke over the phone.
Life took a dramatic turn for Gold Coast great-grandmother, Leonore, when she suffered a stroke at home while she was by herself.
As fate would have it, she was on the phone with Bupa telehealth nurse, Kirsten, who’d called to check in on Leonore after a recent hospital stay.
The 88-year-old says she owes her life to the former intensive care nurse, who recognised Leonore was having a stroke , called for an ambulance, and made sure she stayed on the line until help arrived.
In an emotional reunion, Leonore and Kirsten recount what happened, drawing comfort in the fact fate had connected them on that day – and admit it may have had a very different outcome.
Leonore’s story
“I remember Kirsten saying, there's something wrong. You need help, I'll call an ambulance.”
“I have to say there was no warning whatsoever. Not a headache, nothing to pre-warn me. Nothing unusual about it.”
“I remember I got a phone call and as I answered it, I was sitting down, comfortable and relaxed, talking to this lovely lady from Bupa who was calling to see how I was after being in hospital.”
“We're having a lovely chat, but it didn't last very long. My voice just went a little bit strange and then I found it was really, really difficult to talk.”
“I was making the noise but they weren't forming into words.”
“My children will vouch for you that I'm pretty good talker usually.”
“I remember Kirsten saying, there's something wrong. You need help, I'll call an ambulance.”
“I was wearing my emergency bracelet, so I pressed that too which brought our village manager down and she sat with me and held my hand.”
“Kirsten stayed on the phone and kept talking to me and kept me calm, which was really wonderful to have her voice all the time. To have a nurse on the phone as it was happening, I am absolutely blessed. 100% blessed.”
To have a nurse on the phone as it was happening, I am absolutely blessed. 100% blessed.
“If I’d been by myself, I probably wouldn’t have called for help.”
“At hospital, an MRI showed I’d had a small stroke. I was cleared within a week to come home, which is what I really wanted to do.”
“I’m not ready to leave this earth yet, too many good things happening in life. Especially when there's a lot of little younger ones in the family, we've got to be around for them.”
“It's just that I would love to thank everybody that was around on that particular moment in life to help me. I think the quicker you get treatment or anything like that, the better it's going to before you later off down the line.”
“If you feel there's something not quite right, just get help straight away and be perhaps a little bit alert if you've got something that you feel isn't quite feeling right in your head.”
Kirsten’s story
“I remember just talking to Leonore to reassure her I was there, to stay on the line and help was on the way.”
“I've been nursing for nearly 20 years now, mostly in hospitals and in intensive care units.”
“I think you learn over time that when you are in an emergency situation, it's very rarely a straight line. It's very rarely textbook. You have to critically think, and problem solve your way through it, and I know through experience, you have to stay really calm to do that effectively.”
“Leonore’s was a routine call that was part of Bupa’s Recovery Support Program, where we reach out to our customers within a few days of coming home from hospital. We’re there to make sure they’ve got all the information and support they need for a safe recovery at home.”
“We'd been talking and having such a clear conversation, then when Lenore suddenly became quite confused. I knew that something was really wrong - I was immediately very concerned,”
I knew that something was really wrong - I was immediately very concerned.
“I initiated our emergency procedure, and it became obvious we needed to get her urgent help, as her speech continued to deteriorate.”
“I kept talking to Leonore to see if this had happened before. However, she became more and more confused. I reassured her I was getting an ambulance and asked her to press her emergency button. I remember just talking to Leonore to reassure her I was there, to stay on the line and help was on the way.”
“We hear a lot about strokes these days and what signs should people look out for. As with Leonore, people have changes in their speech or become confused and not be able to finish a sentence.”
“Time is very important. You need to get that person help straight away.”
The emotional reunion
Leonore and Kirsten meet face to face for the first time
“I’m in debt for you for the rest of my life.”
Leonore: How incredible to meet the voice at the other end. Darling, it’s so good to see you. I’ve wanted to hug you so many times. That was such a special moment in our lives. You are just meant to ring at that time Our stars were aligned, weren’t they? I’m in debt for you for the rest of my life, you realise that. Your voice gave me that feeling of “don’t worry”. You had that positiveness that it’ll be ok.
Kirsten:
It was so lucky that I was able to be with you at that time and support you. I’m so grateful I was able to be there with you and am grateful you are now okay. To see you now, in person, and be able to connect face to face has been really incredible. I wouldn't call myself a hero. I think, you show up as a health professional and you’re here to help people. I was just doing my job.
Learn more about the signs of stroke and how Bupa’s supporting stroke survivors, like Leonore.
