Staten Island Resident Receives Life-Saving Neurological Care At NYU Langone After Unexpected Health Crisis

Editor’s note: See below for a video of our conversation with Jennifer and Dr. Laura Ades, who provided post-operative care for her.  While this condition is rare, it is important to recognize the signs of it when it has occurred, as well as to understand when one should seek care for a condition they are experiencing.  We also talked about strokes and the increased risks of this condition among women and sometimes pregnant women.  

Readers learned about medical gaslighting, the experience of medical professionals not listening to patients and not taking them seriously.  In Jennifer’s case, this occurred when she was at the first hospital, until a certain point where her distress became obvious, unmistakeable, and objectively verified, her requests for assistance were not taken as seriously as they could have been.  Fortunately, she was able to be transferred to a hospital which had a neuro-ICU unit that was able to treat her for the condition she was having.  This is not an uncommon experience, and many can relate to what happened to Jennifer, whether they had something similar happen to a relative, friend, or even themselves.  

The following was shared by NYU Langone: 

Only one month after giving birth, 37-year-old Jennifer, a new mother and medical assistant from Staten Island, suddenly collapsed after experiencing an excruciating headache with sudden weakness due to a subarachnoid hemorrhage, or brain bleed, from a ruptured aneurysm.

She received comprehensive care at NYU Langone Hospital—Brooklyn. Through a rapid, coordinated approach including weeks of rehabilitation, Jennifer overcame one of the most harrowing medical journeys anyone can face. Today, she is walking and caring for her newborn son, with her wife Krystal, by her side, grateful for the life she nearly lost.

Once Jennifer was medically stable, she was transferred to the hospital’s inpatient rehabilitation unit. Dr. Laura Ades, a vascular neurologist at the Sunset Park hospital, managed her follow-up care, including infection monitoring (fever workup), headache management, blood-pressure and sodium monitoring, and preparation for rehabilitation. Jennifer would not be where she is today without her resilience as a new mom—and the interdisciplinary approach and open communication taken by the stroke, neuro ICU, neurosurgery, and rehabilitation teams.

With their first holiday season just past, Jennifer is filled with gratitude and ready to share her story – celebrating the little things in life, preparing for their first Thanksgiving as a family, and honoring the hospital that supported her.

Banner Image: Researcher at NYU Langone. Image Credit – NYU Langone