A 4-year-old from Owosso becomes one of the youngest patients ever to receive the clot-busting drug known as tPA.
Gavin Ramirez, who has a heart defect, got sick at school one day and was losing feeling on his left side. Turns out, he was having a stroke.
Ramirez was taken to the hospital, where doctors at Sparrow's Stroke Center were able to give him the drug, which must be administered within hours after having a stroke. Within minutes, the four-year-old was giving the doctor a high-five, showing he had regained use of his arms and legs.
“It was emotional,” Dr. Kassab said. “I had tears in my eyes. Everyone was giving high fives.” Gavin's mother, Trisha Ockerman said everyone was just amazing at Sparrow, saying "Dr. Kassab is like our miracle man.”
Just days later, Gavin had returned to his normal routine and was back playing with his friends.
Gavin's case illustrates the importance of being able to recognize when someone is having a stroke. "FAST" is an easy way to remember the sudden signs:
F - Face Drooping
A - Arm Weakness
S - Speech Difficulty
T - Time To Call 911
