Ramon, 55, Aneurysm Survivor
Stroke rehabilitation: Grand Slam
Ramon, a Saint Luke’s senior warehouseman, hasn’t missed baseball’s opening day in more than 30 years. His three sons weren’t about to let a little thing like recovering from brain surgery make him miss the Royals’ home opener on April 8, 2013.
It had been less than three months since a Saint Luke’s neurosurgeon had saved Ramon’s life.
Ramon had battled a headache all day when he left work on Jan. 15, 2013. He remembers getting into his car and starting for home, then a nurse telling him he was in intensive care, recuperating from brain surgery to repair a ruptured aneurysm.
Ramon had lost more than two weeks of memories.
He knew what he was up against: Two years previously, his brother had suffered a stroke and still deals with partial paralysis and significant speech loss. Ramon was luckier: Although weak, he could move his limbs and communicate.
He was scared, but determined to beat this challenge.
Ramon remained in intensive care for a month. In early February the incision site on his forehead became infected and doctors had to remove part of his skull. That part of Ramon’s brain remained covered with skin but unprotected by bone, much like a baby’s soft spot, while a custom-made prosthetic was built.
In fact, his prosthetic wasn’t yet in place when Ramon and his sons headed for opening day at Kauffman Stadium. No worries: the boys stayed on either side of their father, protecting his healing brain from jostling fans and wayward foul balls.
Ramon’s smile blazed brighter than the April sun that day. He had his family, his life, and baseball.
Doctors had told him it might take a year to get back to normal. Ramon pushed himself hard throughout rehabilitation. Just five months after brain surgery, Ramon’s doctor cleared him to return to work.