A Soldier's Story

 In Army speak, the sitrep (situational report) wasn’t good ‒ Sergeant First Class Russell Stierlen, who came into Southwestern Medical Center’s emergency department (ED) in April with what he described as bad heartburn, sat up, said “Something’s wrong,” and began convulsing before “coding” (suffering cardiac arrest).

The ED team quickly revived Stierlen and immediately determined that he had suffered a rare, allergic reaction to the radiocontrast used in the computer tomography (CT) scan ‒ a scan meant to rule out any heart issues. According to research on the National Institute of Health website, somewhere between .01% (one in 10,000) and .04% of patients can experience severe allergic reactions to radiocontrast, the dye used in a CT scan.

Stierlen, who came into the ER on April 16, immediately recovered from the allergic reaction and was later treated for a hiatal hernia. He was discharged on Friday, and to the surprise of his wife and commanding officer, was back at work on Monday.

But, not before a scare, for all parties involved.

"I heard it took several nurses to hold me down,” said Stierlen. “I was concerned I might have hurt someone ‒ I'm trained in martial arts."

Thankfully, the quick diagnosis and response by the ED team at Southwestern ensured no one was hurt.

“They saved my life,” said Stierlen.

Said Jessica Lewis, director of Imaging Services at Southwestern, “When giving a CT scan, we ask if the patient has any allergic history and if they don’t, it is standard procedure to proceed because allergic reactions are so rare. This was that one in ten thousand case, and our team was quick to react, take appropriate measures and ultimately send our patient home doing better than when he walked into the hospital.”

Two weeks after the event, on May 1, Lieutenant Colonel Brian Dermody and Command Sergeant Major Albert Turner, part of the Fort Sill Command with the 1-78th Field Artillery Battalion, presented certificates of appreciation to the Southwestern ER team members who were instrumental in saving Stierlen’s life. Also known as the "Teamwork" Battalion, the 1-78th emphasizes ethics and values-based leadership, focusing on improving diversity, equality, and inclusion to build cohesive teams ‒ values that align with those practiced at Southwestern Medical Center.

Said LTC Dermody, upon presenting the certificates: “This is a profession that tends to go unnoticed. I wanted to thank them for the effort put into helping people and saving Sergeant Stierlen's life.”

Added CSM Albert Turner, “Just like people who thank us for our service while walking down the street, you (the ED staff) deserve the same respect.”

Among the most appreciative of the Southwestern emergency team was Stierlen’s wife, Ashlei, who accompanied her husband to the hospital and stressfully endured the unexpected turn of events.

“I was there through it all,” she said. “It was very scary. Everyone was very attentive to him and me, as well. I’m very thankful for everything they did to save his life.”

If you or a loved one are in need of emergency medical care, know that you can count on the life-saving team at Southwestern Medical Center’s emergency department. Click here for more information.