Patient Profiles
A Stroke Transformed a Westport Woman’s Life, Now She Helps Others
Lisa Feitelberg-Costa awoke on a Sunday morning in September 2020 to discover weakness on the left side of her body. She was leaning to the left and unable to stand up straight.
Frightened and bewildered by her symptoms, the Westport resident sought treatment at the Charlton Memorial Hospital Emergency Department. The emergency medical professionals moved quickly and efficiently, she said, and soon discovered she had suffered an ischemic stroke, which occurs when blood flow to the brain is blocked.
They found she had a 99% blockage of her carotid artery, which feeds blood from the heart to the brain, and without immediate surgery Lisa risked further strokes, disability, and even death.
Lisa was astonished at the diagnosis. A 59-year-old corporate professional, she was slim and fit. She watched what she ate, ran regularly and never missed her annual medical checkups. And yet a brain scan showed that, unknown to her, she had been experiencing mini-strokes for a while.
This began a life-altering health journey for Lisa that continues to this day. After being admitted to Charlton Memorial, she met Richard Pin, MD, Southcoast Chief of Vascular Surgery, who would perform the operation.
“His kindness, compassion and empathy for my situation was remarkable,” she said. “He guided me every step of the way, seeing the fear in my eyes as I prayed I would survive the surgery. He constantly reassured me I was in good hands. And he was right. Words cannot express the gratitude I feel toward him and his team.”
Lisa learned first-hand that stroke care doesn’t end with surgery. Once she had recovered from the operation, Lisa began treatment at the Acute Inpatient Rehabilitation Center, also at Charlton Memorial. There, Khin Yin, MD, who specializes in physical medicine and rehab, oversaw her therapy.
“After a stroke you are not the same person,” Lisa said. “Your body no longer works the same way. Your stroke affects your whole being, mind, body and soul. It takes a very long time to heal, and it’s not always an upward trajectory. You may feel like you’re making progress one day, and then have a major setback the next.”
With Dr. Yin’s kindness and patience, Lisa said she learned what was happening to her body and her brain and made significant progress toward understanding what she now calls her “new normal.”
“Somehow, Dr. Yin always managed to make you feel you were her only patient,” she said.
After being discharged from the rehabilitation center, Lisa continued her work toward recovery with focus and determination, first at home with physical, occupational and speech therapists, as well as other providers, and then as an outpatient at the Southcoast Health Brain & Spine Center in Dartmouth.
There, Lisa is treated by neurologist Joshua Stone, MD, and receives physical therapy. Lori Cabral, LICSW, provides emotional support for Lisa, helping her develop essential skills like getting through difficult times, setting goals, and celebrating triumphs.
“She has been there every step of the way,” Lisa said. “The support she provides is vital and essential to recovery. She has been someone I can trust and count on.”
Throughout this experience, Lisa realized how many support staff contribute to a patient’s treatment and recovery, including physicians, nurses, therapists, nursing aides, housekeeping, dietary and more.
“I will never forget one incredible CNA while I was in rehab, Ana Carvalho. Patients face huge challenges during rehab, and she could tell I was going through a difficult time,” she said. “Ana gave me an extraordinary gift by making beautiful presentations with my towels and pajamas, as if I were on a cruise!” Her thoughtfulness and compassionate spirit made Lisa smile every day and left an imprint on her heart.
Lisa’s Southcoast Health team has not only helped her improve physically to the point that she now can drive. They also have empowered her to give back to others affected by strokes.
“I felt alone, isolated and lost,” Lisa said. “I desperately needed to know I was not alone. Were there many stroke survivors out there? Did they feel the same way I did? I needed to explore.”
Cabral encouraged Lisa to pursue her idea of founding a support group, and in September 2024, Lisa founded Stroke Buddies & Friends. Its mission statement was inspired by Lisa’s own experience: Facing our challenges together, embracing our new normal.
Today, the group has more than 100 members. The group meets monthly at the Westport Council on Aging. Anyone who experiences life-altering health challenges, whether or not they result from a stroke, is welcome.
Lisa’s gratitude for Southcoast Health and the providers who have helped her is as strong as ever. And she is thrilled to be achieving an important goal.
“I vowed that if I survived, I would honor everyone who helped me during my recovery process,” she said.
She will have that opportunity on May 3, when Stroke Buddies & Friends and the Westport Council on Aging host an event to salute Emergency Medical Services workers and Southcoast Health. The program will introduce attendees to the individuals and equipment they might have to rely on in an emergency.
Lisa knows she still has a long way to go but is heartened by her progress. “Just participating in life every day is a gift.”