StemCell Therapy

In her mind, its as if she took a seven-month nap, with no memory of the lost time.

ALLIANCE Kertisha Brabson lost seven months of her life, but she has plenty of time to make up for it.

The 31-year-old mother of two is happy to be alive. Shes fortunate to be home with her children. And shes hopeful, anxious and restless about getting back to her old self as a soccer mom and dental hygienist, back to the way it was before.

I know nothing about those seven months, she said from the living room of her South Freedom Avenue home where she raises daughter, Diamonique, 12, and son, Perez, 5.

Brabson was in a coma for seven months after losing consciousness on Sept. 7, 2018. In her mind, its as if she took a seven-month nap, with no memory of the lost time.

We knew we couldnt give up ... shes got two little ones waiting on her, explained Brabsons mom, Kertease Williams. Gods hands were all over me, telling me what to do.

Her battle

Brabsons medical ordeal began earlier in 2018. For months, she wasnt feeling well and was fatigued. In early September, it got really bad. Her speech turned nonsensical. She got confused and lost on an attempted drive to Aultman Hospital in Canton.

She wound up being rushed to Alliance Community Hospital, then was moved to Aultman. Already in a comatose condition, Brabson was taken to Cleveland Clinic where she was diagnosed with anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis.

Its the same affliction that had terrorized young New York Post reporter Susannah Cahalan, who wrote a book, Brain on Fire, in 2013 about her ordeal. The story was turned into a Netflix movie, starring Chlo Grace Moretz, in 2016.

The form of encephalitis that struck Cahalan -- and Brabson -- is caused by a virus that makes the body's immune system attack its own brain cells, leading to psychiatric symptoms, seizures and even cardiovascular complications.

Its cause remains unclear, though recent research is being conducted to determine a possible genetic link.

Still in a coma, Brabson was moved to a nursing home in Boardman. She was there more than a month, but began having multiple seizures daily, so she was taken to St. Elizabeth Hospital for additional medical treatment.

Aggressive treatment

My husband (Larry Williams) helped keep me going, Brabsons mom said. All the support from the community was amazing; and we were getting prayers from all over the world.

Kertease Williams wanted to do more for her daughter.

You do what you got to do, she said.

Her research led her to The Ohio State Universitys Wexner Medical Center. The facility has a Neuro Critical Care Unit, where doctors would work on controlling the 10 seizures per day Brabson was experiencing -- all while still in a coma.

Dr. Shraddha Mainali, an assistant professor of neurology and director of the neurovascular ultrasound lab at Ohio State, said the medical team attacked Brabsons case on two fronts:

Aggressive immunity suppression to control her disease while carefully monitoring antibody levels circulating in her brain fluids.

Aggressive treatment of her seizures using multiple IV drips, oral medications and surgery to help control her relentless seizures.

After about four months of treatment at Wexner, Brabson awoke from her coma.

It was April 7, Williams recalled.

She remembers the time, too.

I get a call at 5:10 a.m. ... they said Kertisha woke up, she said.

Story of hope

Dr. Mainali was thrilled.

Kertisha's case is definitely one of the memorable cases in my career and one of the success stories for our unit as well as the medical community, she said. It is not everyday that we get to see a patient wake up after remaining comatose for seven months.

Although her primary disease (anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis) is quite treatable, Brabsons complications along the way meant there were no guarantees shed ever wake up. It was anyones guess how much damage was done due to the prolonged bouts of seizures.

Her story is one of hope ... , Mainali said. And her outcome (of being alive and independent) goes to show how persistent and meticulous care can help improve outcomes in other patients with her condition, even when the disease is severe enough to make the odds of recovery very slim.

After she woke from her coma, Brabson received ongoing physical, occupational and speech rehabilitation, to help gain back strength and function. When she returned to Stark County, Brabson spent time at Rose Lane Nursing and Rehabilitation in Jackson Township to continue her recovery.

Brabson is back at her home in Alliance. She still goes to therapy. She sees a neurologist weekly. Her short-term memory comes and goes but is getting better.

She was so angry for a while; she wanted to be better right way, Williams said. I keep telling her its going to take time. And I think she realizes that now.

Reach Tim at 330-580-8333 or tim.botos@cantonrep.com.

On Twitter: @tbotosREP

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Alliance womans remarkable recovery from 7-month coma - The-review

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