A hemorrhagic stroke sent Delores Garrett and her baby to the verge of life and death. It took something short of a miracle to bring her back to life. At age 15, Garrett was found to have an abnormal tangle of blood vessels in the brain (called an arteriovenous malformation) that caused her to have occasional seizures. She had trouble articulating words, understanding things in school and was failing most of her classes.
She started seeing Allyson Zazulia, MD, Washington University neurologist at Barnes-Jewish Hospital, to help control her seizures.
Five years later when she was 18 weeks pregnant with her second child, Garrett suddenly developed a severe headache, couldn''t move or see, and collapsed before EMS got to her house and found her not breathing and unresponsive.
Garrett''s grandmother, Evon Jewell, says Garrett had complained about a headache but didn''t realize its severity until she saw her lifeless body. "When I got home and saw Delores, I thought she was dead," says Jewell.
When she arrived at her local hospital, a head CT scan showed bleeding throughout the ventricular system of her brain. Doctors told her family that she was going to die.
Garrett was immediately airlifted to Barnes-Jewish, where a medical team led by Dr. Zazulia and Washington University neurosurgeon Joshua Dowling, MD, worked to drain the blood from her brain and provide life-sustaining care.
When Garrett was admitted to the neurology Intensive Care Unit (ICU) her blood pressure was dangerously low, and she had little evidence of brain function.
"Everything we know about brain hemorrhages told me her chances of recovering from this event were slim," says Dr. Zazulia. "Her baby''s chances were even more uncertain."
Garrett lay in a deep coma for three weeks while family members held a vigil in the ICU, hoping for a miraculous awakening. Despite the bleak prognosis, she gradually woke up and by the time she was discharged to a rehabilitation center six weeks later, was able to put a couple words together and follow simple instructions.
Specialists at Barnes-Jewish Hospital monitored her pregnancy until she returned at 35 weeks, in labor and having seizures. She gave birth to a healthy baby girl by C-section the following day.
Today, 24-year-old Garrett has been living seizure-free with her extended family and helping to care for her two children, Anthony, 6 and Tá-Lor, 3. She enjoys taking walks with her grandfather and spending time with her friends.
"I love seeing my kids grow up," says Garrett. "I''m so happy to be alive, and I''ll always remember Dr. Zazulia for taking care of me all these years."
Garrett continues to see Dr. Zazulia for maintenance care to prevent seizures and manage any recurring hemorrhages. In fact, she counts down the days until her office visit, always looking forward to seeing the doctor that saved her life.