Jennifer Wolf Shares Elderly Father’s Miracle Survival after Traumatic Brain Injury

By Divya Sathyanarayanan

Jennifer Wolf’s 80-year old father sustained a head injury due to a fall in early February. He was rushed to a nearby hospital (name withheld on request) and underwent a series of tests. “They performed a CAT scan and said there was nothing wrong, except for a ‘non-critical leak’ and did not explain anything further,” says Jennifer. Due to her father’s old age and underlying medical conditions—diabetes and heart problem, Jennifer was concerned about the head injury and lack of detailed explanation from the hospital.

A few weeks later, Jennifer’s father woke up disoriented in the middle of the night and his wife immediately called 911. An ambulance rushed him to CHA HPMC where he was given immediate treatment. “Tests showed traumatic brain bleed due to the fall. His chances of survival were small due to his old age,” explains Jennifer. Dr. Joung Lee, CHA HPMC Neurosurgeon, examined the tests, explained her father’s critical condition, and performed a surgery next morning.

Jennifer, her siblings, and extended family members anxiously waited in the ICU lounge to hear the outcome of the surgery. “The surgery was successful and Dr. Lee saved my father’s life. It’s a miracle. I don’t know what Dr. Lee did in the operating room, but I know it was magic,” she says with a sigh of relief.
Dr. Lee is an internationally renowned authority in the field of skull base surgery. During his vast experience spanning over 4000 complex cranial surgery cases, he has pioneered many innovative surgical techniques which are currently used by neurosurgeons throughout the world. With his efforts, CHA HPMC offers a comprehensive Neuroscience program and the advanced Da Vinci surgical system, which optimizes clinical outcomes and patient experience.

Jennifer’s father was shifted to the ICU post-surgery. She and her siblings took turns to look after their father and, during their stay, formed a special bond with the ICU nursing team. “The nurses took care of my father like their own. They explained his vital readings on the machines monitoring him. Even when they were assigned to other patients, they continued to check on my father and inquire about his health,” explains Jennifer. The healthcare team taking care of Jennifer’s father provided daily updates. “They explain his condition in a nutshell and make it easy for us to understand.”

Jennifer believes her father’s recovery is tied to Dr. Lee’s expert care and advanced technology offered at CHA HPMC. “I cannot understand medical terms, but I do know that my father is receiving specialized care and treatment here,” she says.
 
 
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