Jane's Story

Jane Lowry Holden: Her medical adventures since February, 1996

Jane is a marvelously talented woman. Before she had to lean on a reservoir of strength that I couldn't imagine she even harbored, she lived the fullest of lives.

Jane was the State of Alaska's Interstate Program Coordinator for unemployment benefits with the other forty-nine states. She was a competent Shakespearean actor and a wonderful theater director. She played two instruments: guitar and flute. And, for fun, she spent a few years as the lead singer in a rock-n-roll band.

On February 26, 1996 at 9AM, Jane was hit with a catastrophic left hemisphere CVA (stroke). Unconscious for seven days, she was revived by her friend, Clare Donahue, who flew up to Juneau from Seattle and who revived her, on a Saturday morning, by singing rounds, as in "Row, row, row your boat...".

I brought Jane home after five weeks in Bartlett Hospital, sporting a Swedish accent, able to say only "Ya" and "OK". Her new accent is now known as "Foreign Accent Syndrome", which has recently been identified in about twenty stroke survivors worldwide since 1914. Its cause is unknown, as are the accompanying colloquial linguistics.

With the help of her wonderful neurologist, Susan Hunter-Joerns and a skillful acupuncturist, Susie Cohen, Jane got her leg working enough in six weeks, such that, with a brace to help her to get around, she regained her ability to resume a (modified) mobile life. Susie also straightened up her mouth and restored her facial muscles and leveled her smiling face, which, at the time she came home, sagged to the right and dribbled.

Then, more adventures. In September, 1996, in Juneau, a mammogram detected a Stage 1 cancer in Jane's left breast. Medical circumstances becoming a bit too complicated for Juneau, Jane's aunt Kax practically ordered her to move to Phoenix, whence she was plugged into the marvelous Mayo system. It was agreed while Jane was at Mayo, that she should undergo open-heart surgery, to close the Mayo-discovered hole-in-the heart (a patent foramen ovale) that was believed at the time to have generated the blood clot that caused her stroke. In order to stay close to Mayo, Jane moved to Phoenix in July, 2000, to a house in the street next to her brother, Guy.

Since her move to Phoenix, Jane has been a guinea pig of sorts for a series of neurological, genome-based treatments, which have benefited her enormously, aided by some extraordinary therapists, notably Kay Wing of Swan Rehab, in Phoenix. For example, during 2003-04, wearing an infra-red emitting helmet for one hour a day, her vocabulary doubled every three months for a full year. And, earlier this year the Mayo medicos performed an oblation on Jane's heart to control a recently-discovered involuntarily fibrillation.

Jane now runs around Phoenix in her PT Cruiser. She sits on the Stroke Committee of the American Heart Association. She recently, with others, organized her second annual stroke camp for forty-or-so stroke survivors and spouses, near Payson.

It's been over eleven years. The Mayo people think she's a miracle. I wake up every morning, watch Jane start her day and realize that I've got nothing at all to complain about. She's the bravest person I know.

Richard Holden

Now, the in 15 years ago. 1996 to 2010. I known how much the Richard the done for me!

Now, I am SWAN (South West Advanced Neurological Rehabilitation), BIAZZ (Brain Injure AZ), ABIL (Able Bridge to Independent Living), and American Heart Association, and tons of others.

I don't talk right. I still wrong the a limp. My back is sore. I still go on!!

I always said, "Go for it!!" Everyone are a stroke could do so much! Join the about address. Join the American Heart Association, the magazine, The Stroke Magazine so the can come for you!

I still go to Mayo. A wonderful thing.

Jane Holden