Saturday, December 24, 2011

The world receives the 'Lazarus effect'

[This was originally posted Dec. 24, 2009]
Jesus, once more deeply moved, came to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance. "Take away the stone," he said.
"But, Lord," said Martha, the sister of the dead man, "by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days."
Then Jesus said, "Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?"
So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, "Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me."
When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, "Lazarus, come out!" The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face.
Jesus said to them, "Take off the grave clothes and let him go."
-John 11:38-44

Not long ago (2008), I heard a presentation by one of the doctors responsible for making tPA (tissue plasminogen activator) available to stroke patients.

In my own 1998 experience, I could not speak, I could not move my right arm or leg - but after the clot-busting tPA, I regained those abilities. It was a dramatic experience. The doctor called it "the Lazarus effect."

It made me think of the story of Lazarus - see above - in John's gospel. Once there was no hope. A man's  sisters, relatives and friends knew they lost him. Jesus entered. Hope returned.

How about this world? On a cold night so long ago, a world needed this Lazarus effect. Today, this world needs it as well. On that first Christmas, God gave the world the Lazarus effect: a new beginning, a new covenant, a new life. Today, you can receive your own Lazarus effect.

2 comments:

oc1dean said...

What I wish doctors and researchers would acknowledge is that tPA doesn't work very well. I saw a 32% efficacy in the 3 hour period and 16% efficacy in the 3-4.5 hour period. And besides it doesn't stop the cascade of neuronal death from glutamate poisoning, excitotoxicity and the closed capillaries due to pericytes. My doctor told me I didn't get the fast recovery, I would have to hold out for the slow rehab recovery, and I got it within 90 minutes.

Jeff Porter said...

I'd say the results are very much case by case. I notice even to this day that when fatigue or stress sets in, my speech is affected. But even that being said, there is no other treatment of its kind. And in 1998 and now, it was and is by far the most effective treatment of this kind of stroke if delivered properly.