Miracle cure for North Bersted stroke victim

The 59-year-old is a pioneer patient for the treatment of a stroke.

He is the first person in a large part of West Sussex to benefit from a new clot-busting drug which restores blood quickly to the damaged parts of his brain.

The result is astounding.

A slight problem moving his left hand and marginally slurred speech are the only signs that Mr Treloar has been through such a traumatic medical event.

He said: "It feels fantastic to be alive. It's great to think that the local NHS used me as a guinea pig for this treatment. I seem to have come through it really well."

His recovery has been so remarkable he expects to soon return to his work as a principal trading standards officer with the county council.

His stroke occurred at 7.30am on February 4.

Medical staff at St Richard's Hospital at Chichester were able to pinpoint the exact time because he had spoken to his partner, Lyn, 30 minutes earlier before she left for work.

This was crucial because a three hour deadline exists for the new drug to take effect. That time is needed for procedures such as CT scans

to be carried out and for patients to agree to the treatment.

"Luckily, if that's what you call it, I had a blood clot in my brain rather than a brain haemorrhage," explained Mr Treloar, "and the thromboembolic drug could be used.

"This involved an initial injection and then a drip for about half an hour and then rest, rest and more rest, which was very frustrating."

He was looked after in the hospital's cardiac care unit by Dr Ingrid Kane and a specialist team of nurses.

He was discharged late on February 10 to continue his convalescence at home with plenty of walking.

Dr Kane has been pleased with his progress, though she is unwilling to put a time on Mr Treloar's final recovery.

But he said his story so far was a testament to the dedicated care and attention of everyone from the paramedics who treated him on the spot to the staff at St Richard's as well as the availability of the new treatment.

It also highlighted the essential need for St Richard's to keep all its services.

"This shows how important that is. I was one of those who took to the streets to keep A&E at St Richard's," he explained.

"When I was doing that, I never thought I would be needing to use it under such circumstances.

"I eat healthily, I don't smoke and regularly visit the gym. So, imagine my surprise when I was struck down."

It was essential as well, he stressed, that people took note of the widespread recent national publicity about strokes.

"The treatment is still only available to a limited few who have strokes as there needs to be a record of when the stroke happened.

"If it happened at night, and you didn't wake up until the next morning, it would be too late," he added.

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