Victory Dancer

When he retired, Mike Nelson, of Pewaukee, focused on staying active and surrounding himself with positive people. This led him to try out for the Bucks Grand Dancers, a group of people ages 55 and older who perform choreographed routines during Milwaukee Bucks games to pump up the crowd. Mike loves dancing on court in his Bucks jersey with his nickname, “Nelly,” on the back. 

But dancing was the furthest thing from Mike’s mind on Aug. 24, 2023. Then 72, he was at home watching a movie with a friend when he realized the right side of his body was numb. He immediately suspected he was having a stroke. Two of his family members had strokes, and Mike knew the signs. He also knew he needed help fast.

Froedtert Community Hospital — Pewaukee, part of the Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin health network, is just minutes from Mike’s home. There, Rachel Wilson, MD, emergency medicine physician, ordered imaging of Mike’s head and the blood vessels of his brain because she had a high suspicion he was having an acute stroke. He had limited feeling and function on the right side of his body.

Coordinated Team Effort

Dr. Wilson consulted with the stroke team at Froedtert Hospital in Milwaukee, a comprehensive stroke center. 

Based on the imaging results and the suspicion of stroke, the stroke team recommended a clot-busting medication called tenecteplase, or TNK. It can be given for strokes and helps improve disability, but it is time sensitive and must be given within 4.5 hours of symptom onset. 

This medication requires a higher level of care, so Mike was taken by ambulance to Froedtert Menomonee Falls Hospital, where he was monitored by critical care physician Theodore Hubley, MD. In the days that followed, he worked with physical and occupational therapists who helped get him on his feet. 

“My foot was dragging a little, but I was extra motivated to move,” Mike said. 

Seeing his determination, they recommended inpatient therapy at Froedtert Bluemound Rehabilitation Hospital in Wauwatosa. 

People often make the greatest strides in their recovery in the three months after a stroke, and intensive rehabilitation like what they receive at a rehabilitation hospital can be pivotal in their recovery. Over the next two weeks, Mike worked more than three hours each day, six days a week, with physical, occupational and speech therapists. He also had regular visits from two former Bucks Grand Dancers who cheered him up with gentle ribbing. 

“We’re like family,” Mike said. “They brought candy and said, ‘This isn’t for you. This is for the nurses who put up with you.’” 

Hard Work With Physical and Occupational Therapy

Once he returned home, Mike received outpatient physical and occupational therapy twice a week at Froedtert Hospital. Occupational therapist Terry Walton, MS, OTR, helped him regain strength and coordination in his right arm and hand so he could return to driving and daily tasks at home. 

“He was motivated and had many goals he wanted to achieve,” Walton said. “I gave him a plethora of activities to do, and he did them religiously.” 

One of his goals was to return to performing with the Bucks Grand Dancers. Mike began practicing the dance choreography with physical therapist Megan Swanson, DPT, and by December 2023, he was back in the middle of the group of dancers at Fiserv Forum. When the announcer explained this was Mike’s first dance since having a stroke, the crowd cheered. 

“That dance pushed me and gave me more confidence,” he said. 

Mike continues to regain fine motor skills in his right hand and gives credit to the Froedtert & MCW team for helping him recover. 

“Everyone helped me get back to my family — the Bucks Grand Dancers,” Mike said. “It feels great to be dancing again.”