Chancellor Recovering from Stroke, Gives Praise to Local Hospital

Contributing Writer

   Twelve weeks ago, two freshmen found Chancellor Jack Lassiter lying on the restroom floor of the University of Arkansas at Monticello Administration Building.

Photo by John Ragsdale

Back at Work- Chancellor Jack Lassiter looks at the work of student worker Harmony Black. Lassiter had a stroke while at work in the Administration Building 12 weeks ago.

   Embarrassing in most situations, this incident probably saved Lassiter’s life, or at least kept the damage from the stroke he suffered from further damaging his brain.

   “I was about to wash my hands when I fell down,” Lassiter said. “At first, I thought my hip gave out, but I apparently slipped in and out of consciousness and was on the floor for about 30 minutes.”

   An ambulance rushed Lassiter to Drew Memorial Hospital where hospital staff stabilized him and determined his stroke was caused by a clot, allowing them to give him a shot, which breaks down the clot and keeps it from causing further damage.

   He highly praised the local hospital staff and their technological advances as well. Lassiter credits the hospital’s quick action in his rehabilitation, allowing him to regain the use of his left leg quickly.

   “Sometimes the local hospital is taken for granted, but their level of expertise is to be commended,” Lassiter said.

   Lassiter found it remarkable the hospital was able to treat his condition as quick as they did because he was unable communicate effectively.

   After he was stabilized, a service out of Camden airlifted Lassiter to Little Rock, and he was taken to the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) for further treatment.

   After several weeks in Little Rock, Lassiter received approval to return to Monticello for his physical therapy with South Arkansas Rehabilitation.

   “The rehabilitation staff in Little Rock was stretched thin, and they were aware of Nat Grubbs and his staff at South Arkansas Rehabilitation,” Lassiter said. “When I asked about going home, they were sure I would be in very capable hands in Monticello.”

   Lassiter is still attending physical therapy for his left arm. Not only did the stroke limit the use of his arm, but he also tripped over a grandchild’s toy five weeks ago and broke it.

   Lassiter returned to work six weeks after the stroke on a limited basis, just four hours to begin with, two hours in the morning and two hours in the afternoon.

   Returning from the Labor Day holiday, Lassiter tries to put in a full work day, though sometimes that means more than eight hours a day. His work is not limited to the hours on the UAM campus, but extends to board meetings and other after-hours events.

   Lassiter reflects back on the day the stroke occurred and realizes he should have recognized some of the signs. He suffers from atrial fibrillation and feels the warning signals of an irregular heartbeat might have been present in the days leading to the occurrence of the stroke.

   “I’ve changed my diet,” Lassiter said, noting the food he has eaten in the past few years was not healthy. “We take food for granted. When you go to a meeting, you eat what is there without considering whether it is healthy or not.”

   In addition to healthier eating, he now walks two miles a day and does other exercise to strengthen his heart and improve his body physically.

   Lassiter admits that while UAM was meeting the requirements of the law requiring an update of facilities to meet the needs of disabled students and visitors, he never was conscious of how inconvenient these could be. After his stroke, he better understands how some have difficulty entering a building and even navigating through it.

   Software was added to his computer to allow him to continue correspondence since he is not able to fully function at a keyboard.

   Lassiter noted that the university continued in his absence and he gave high praise for all the staff members across campus.

   "Outstanding," Lassiter proclaimed when mentioning the entire UAM family and the concern shown with his health problems.

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