Hancock Fire Chief and EMT saved by Stroke Center at Garnet Health Medical Center - Catskills
January 31, 2024
(Photo credit: Blaise Bojo)
“I knew where I needed to be.”
Blaise Bojo is used to dealing with emergencies. As an EMT and Fire Chief in the small community of Hancock in Delaware County, he’d rushed stroke patients to the Emergency Department, and entered burning buildings to save people’s homes. Helping the people of his community had been instilled in him by his father.
Toward the end of 2023, he experienced his own emergency, one that could have claimed his life if it wasn’t for the swift actions of the doctors and staff at the Stroke Center at Garnet Health Medical Center – Catskills.
October 20th was just another day. Blaise had left his house to gather with the rest of his family for dinner at his aunt’s house next door.
While making coffee, he felt a really sharp pain just above his left temple.
“I didn’t think anything of it at first,” explained Blaise, “but I turned around to talk to my brother and cousin, and they said, ‘Your nose is bleeding!’ About 15 minutes later, I’d started to develop right-side paralysis and aphasia. I just couldn’t put words together. I recognized at that point I needed to get help.”
Blaise’s wife quickly called 911, and by the time the ambulance had arrived his condition had worsened.
“The last thing I said to the paramedic was, ‘Take me to Catskills!’ I knew where I needed to be.”
Garnet Health Medical Center – Catskills is about 35 minutes away from his house, and with a suspected stroke, time is of the essence. Typically, medication should be given within three hours of when symptoms begin (https://www.garnethealth.org/stroke).
“I remember arriving at the Stroke Center, and seeing Dr. Maxwell,” recalls Blaise.
Nicki Maxwell, DO, Associate Medical Director of the Department of Emergency Medicine at Garnet Health Medical Center - Catskills evaluated Blaise upon his arrival.
“When Blaise came into the ED he was presenting with many classic stroke symptoms, and was immediately sent for a CT Scan. After reading his results and based his symptoms it was decided that the best course of action would be to administer a fast-acting thrombolytic, sometimes known as a "clot-buster", to dissolve a clot that was causing his stroke,” Dr. Maxwell explains. “In less than one hour, his symptoms had started to improve."
“From being brought through the doors of the Emergency Department, to getting the scan, and receiving the medication was 21 minutes,” said Blaise.
“The medication is the gold-standard of care. My stroke happened on Friday night, by Saturday I could completely move my right side. I was discharged a couple of days later to come home and rest.”
Blaise didn’t need to rest for too long, thanks to the swift, comprehensive care he had received.
“Seven weeks after my stroke, I went into a burning building to save someone’s home.”
Blaise can now look back on the experience with gratitude to the doctors and nurses that saved him, but at the time, he wasn’t sure if he would survive.
“It was scary, I could have died. But as an EMT, I knew where I needed to be. If it wasn’t for Garnet Health Medical Center – Catskills, I probably wouldn’t be here to help other people in an emergency.”
And bringing this all full-circle, Blaise’s father, Rolland “Boomer” Bojo, was the Chief Nursing Officer at Garnet Health Medical Center – Catskills for 18 years, and was one of the key leaders responsible for starting the stroke program at the hospital. That program, in tandem with the Stroke Center at Garnet Health Medical Center, continues to provide swift diagnosis and treatment to help the people in our community, just as Blaise continues to do.
About Garnet Health Medical Center – Catskills
Garnet Health Medical Center - Catskills is dedicated to providing quality health care to residents of Sullivan County and neighboring communities. Garnet Health Medical Center - Catskills is accredited by DNV GL – Healthcare. It is a recipient of the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s Get With The Guidelines®- Stroke Gold Plus award, and received the College of Healthcare Information Management Executives (CHIME) Digital Health Most Wired recognition. Learn more about Garnet Health Medical Center – Catskills.
Inspired Giving Program
"When Thank You Isn't Enough" - The Inspired Giving Program provides an opportunity for our patients and their families to publicly celebrate inspired care. Caregivers will be recognized by the Foundation, and receive a beautiful pin to wear proudly. Through this program, patients and their families have the opportunity to recognize employees, physicians and volunteers who provide exceptional care and kindness. Learn more at garnethealth.org/inspired.
