“Mattress Mack” Raises Stroke Awareness During His Stay At Baylor St. Luke’s

Jim “Mattress Mack” McIngvale, owner of Gallery Furniture and admired Houstonian, recently experienced a stroke scare and used his platform to spread awareness about stroke symptoms, while undergoing testing and treatment at Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center.

After experiencing slurred speech and numbness in his face, arm and leg, Mattress Mack was admitted to Baylor St. Luke’s for a series of tests he ultimately passed. During his short stay at the hospital, the local icon shared his experience at Baylor St. Luke’s through live social media updates expressing his gratitude for the quality care provided by the staff, advocating for stroke awareness and urging anyone who experiences similar symptoms to seek medical care.

“The [Baylor] St. Luke’s people have done a great job. They tell me I’m in good shape… I feel better, and I feel much more confident that I won’t have a massive stroke since I’ve been down here…It was certainly quite frightening. I’m obviously older and got to watch these things, but thanks to the professionals at St. Luke’s, I’m doing well, and thanks for your support,” Mattress Mack said in a Facebook Live video.

“The biggest mistake patients make is think they can sleep it off,” said Dr. Chethan P. Venkatasubba, Rao, Medical Director of the Neuroscience Critical Care Unit in the Neurology Department at Baylor St. Luke’s and Assistant Professor of Neurology and Neurosurgery at Baylor College of Medicine. “Strokes double up over time. The earlier a patient can get diagnosed and treated, the better the outcome.”

As pioneers of the healthcare industry, our staff at Baylor St. Luke’s strives to provide the Greater Houston area with the highest level of stroke care possible. Using a combination of thrombolytic medications and minimally invasive techniques, our DNV-Certified Comprehensive Stroke Centers allow our staff to act fast and stop further advancement in even the most complex stroke cases.

We have also had the opportunity to expand our reach across the state of Texas through our Stroke Partners Network, a Neurocritical Care consultation service that offers 24/7 clinical stroke expertise using telemedicine technology.

Like Mattress Mack, we are advocates of raising stroke awareness in the community and are grateful he used his platform to spread awareness while sharing his experience.

To learn more about stroke care visit the Neuroscience Institute at Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center.