ABC15 is celebrating the resilience of a teenage girl from the Valley who has survived two strokes and is getting her life back thanks to cutting-edge technology.
Seventeen-year-old Esli Nerijacome woke up feeling weak one day and ended up being taken to the hospital because she was having a stroke. She had a second stroke at the hospital and doctors had to perform emergency surgery to save her life.
Her doctor, Dr. Peter Nakaji at Banner University Medical Center in Phoenix, implanted a ClearFit device, which acts as a window to the brain.
It allows doctors to more easily scan her brain using just an ultrasound device, making follow-up appointments more convenient.
Several months later, Nerijacome is showing improvements and navigating a new normal. She can now walk and speak again, and she wants to share the important message of being mindful of your health at any age.
ABC15's Lillian Donahue spoke with Dr. Nakaji and Nerijacome about her experience and the medical advancements that are helping to make her recovery possible. Watch the full story in the video player above.
