From crisis to recovery: Touro nurse Brad McElhany’s journey back after stroke

When you work at a hospital as a healthcare professional, it can be easy to take the lifesaving work being done all around you for granted. You just go about your business, taking care of patients, without necessarily understanding how your skills and the experience of your colleagues often mean the difference between life and death for so many patients. 

That is until you become the one who needs medical expertise, compassion, and fast action.  

About a week before his 39th birthday, Brad McElhany, RN, BSN, a nurse in Touro’s Cardiac Catheterization Lab, unfortunately had the opportunity to be the patient on the gurney. 

On this particular day, September. 25, 2025, Brad’s wife, nurse anesthetist Miranda McElhany, CRNA, 38, was in Florida visiting her mother and the couple’s two young daughters were in Texas with Brad’s parents.  

Brad decided to do some painting on a rental property during the day and returned home with terrible head and neck pain. 

Later that night, when Miranda called him to say “goodnight,” she immediately sensed something was wrong. “He was saying that his head and neck hurt so badly. Then he just wanted to get off the phone with me. That was strange and I knew something definitely seemed off. I’ve never heard him cry out in pain.”  

She contacted a neighbor, also a Touro nurse, who came to the house, assessed Brad’s condition quickly, and called 911. 

Emergency care and critical decisions 

Brad remembers the ambulance arriving but little else. He was taken to Touro’s Emergency Department where physicians immediately began their work. They weren’t certain what was going on at first because the initial CT scan and lab work didn’t reveal much. 

“It’s normal for early imaging to not immediately show signs of a stroke,” Miranda explained. “At that point, his symptoms were still evolving.”  

Brad was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) for observation. Good thing, too, because within a couple of hours it was not only clear that Brad had experienced a stroke but that he was unstable from a cardiac standpoint. Physicians sedated and intubated him and put him on a ventilator. 

Miranda arrived back in New Orleans and was by Brad’s bedside early the following morning. She was able to talk with him for a bit, after the sedation was reduced. However, the situation escalated again. Brad’s brain was swelling quickly to a dangerous level and the doctor needed to increase the sedation. 

Neurosurgery to save Brad’s life 

Miranda met with Derrick Umansky, MD, a neurosurgeon at Touro, who explained that Brad needed an emergency craniectomy—a procedure in which a portion of the skull is removed to relieve pressure from brain swelling. During the operation, the surgical team also removed part of the infarcted cerebellum to further relieve pressure on the brainstem. Throughout the procedure, Miranda was kept informed every step of the way through texts from clinicians in the operating room. 

But, as she sat and waited with family around her, Miranda understood the gravity of the situation. “I was absolutely terrified,” she said. “As a healthcare provider, I had seen this so many times but I was always on the other side. It was never my family. Now I was in a position to worry that I was going to lose my husband.” 

After surgery, Brad returned to the ICU on a ventilator. A ventriculostomy, a temporary drain placed in the brain, was used to monitor and control intracranial pressure. This required continuous ICU care. Thankfully, within days, Brad was awake and able to communicate, though still critically ill. 

Miranda is incredibly thankful for the swift care Dr. Umansky provided. “He was wonderful. He is calm and thorough and he listens. He answered all our questions. I really like the fact that he was not sugar coating the situation. I wanted to know the truth and when I asked, Dr. Umansky said, ‘I’m going to do everything to save Brad’s life,’” Miranda said. “I understood what that meant. He really didn’t know if Brad would live or die at that point. But Dr. Umansky was kind but very clear and realistic with his messaging. And I think that was good for me and the family.” 

Stabilization and long-term interventions 

On October 1, Brad’s birthday, Dr. Umansky performed a second procedure to place a ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunt. This is a permanent device that will remain in Brad’s body, draining excess cerebrospinal fluid from the brain to the abdomen. This should prevent future pressure buildup. 

During his ICU stay, physicians also addressed cardiac concerns. After the stroke, Brad developed atrial fibrillation. To monitor his heart rhythm over time, a loop recorder was implanted. This device tracks cardiac activity and can alert him to abnormalities. 

Now, with these interventions in place, Brad’s condition stabilized. Miranda said it was wonderful to hear that Brad could be moved out of ICU to a stepdown unit for continued recovery. 

About the ICU nurses and staff, Miranda said, “They were very attentive. I know Touro is a great hospital, but I’ve never seen kindness like that before. It took a load off my stress because I felt comforted. I felt like my family was caring for him.” 

Rehabilitation begins at Touro Rehabilitation Center 

Once medically stable, Brad moved to Touro Rehabilitation Center, located inside the main hospital. There, Brad received in-patient occupational, physical, and speech therapy for two weeks. Then, he was discharged October 15 and returned for outpatient therapy three times a week for three months. After that, and to this day, he continues rehab at Touro twice a week.  

At first, Brad’s deficits were significant. He could not walk or manage basic daily tasks. The left side of his body had been affected by the stroke. Rehabilitation focused on rebuilding strength, coordination, and independence. Therapy sessions targeted mobility, self-care, and cognitive function. 

Progress came steadily. He regained the ability to walk, bathe independently, and perform everyday activities. While he still moves more slowly and continues to work on organization and focus, his improvement has been significant. And now he gets another chance at the life he loves which includes traveling and spending time with his daughters. 

While Brad was inpatient and since his discharge, Sheryl Martin-Schild, MD, a neurologist at Touro, has led his neurological care.  

“She is extremely thorough and you can tell she is both highly skilled and truly enjoys what she does,” Miranda said. “She cares about each patient as a person, not just another name on her roster.”  

A return to normal life 

On March 24, Brad returned to work at Touro's Cardiac Cath Lab.  

For Brad and his family, the outcome is remarkable. What began as a sudden and life-threatening event has become a story of recovery and resilience. 

Brad reflects on his care with deep appreciation, rating his physicians and care teams highly and recognizing how fortunate he was to receive rapid, coordinated treatment. He said, “My doctors, including the surgeon, neurologist and cardiologist were a 10 out of 10.  My care was great.” 

Miranda agrees that Touro offers the highest quality of care. “The skill of Brad’s surgeon and neurologist and the compassion of all the members of the staff were extremely impressive. When it comes to healthcare in New Orleans, I really believe Touro is a hidden gem.” 

For more information about Touro’s primary stroke center, visit: https://www.lcmchealth.org/touro/our-services/stroke-care/ 

For more information about heart and vascular care at Touro, visit: https://www.lcmchealth.org/touro/our-services/heart-and-vascular-care/