Letang Cleared to Practice with Penguins, 10 Days After Suffering Stroke

Kris Letang was cleared to rejoin the team and took part in Penguins practice on Thursday, 10 days after suffering a stroke.
"He's always surprised us with how well he heals. We don't think that this (return) is accelerated in any way," said head team physician Dr. Dharmesh Vyas, who answered questions from the media alongside the defenseman following the session. "We're taking all the right precautions to make sure that he's safe to go out and play."

Dr. Vyas has been a member of the Penguins medical staff since 2012, so he helped oversee Letang's care the first time this happened eight years ago. Back then, they had to figure out what caused that first stroke, which is a big reason why Letang ended up missing over two months.
During that period, testing revealed that he was born with a very small hole in the wall of his heart. Although the small defect in the wall is apparent in all individuals, it typically closes on its own in most people. Dr. Vyas said that could have created a stroke twice now in Letang's body, so the timeline in terms of diagnostics this time around was much shorter.
"We're just confirming what we knew already," Dr. Vyas said. "Secondly, his stroke this time is much smaller than it was last time. The symptoms have resolved a lot quicker than they did last time as well, and we know what to expect. The data has also evolved in terms of how this will be treated."
Letang was adamant that his health comes first, and that nothing is going to be rushed in a situation like this. It is about him as a father and a family man with his wife Catherine, son Alex and daughter Victoria; not about him as a hockey player and a Pittsburgh Penguin.
"My kids, they don't care if I'm a hockey player or not. They care about having a dad. Same thing with my wife, she can care less about hockey and everything. She knows that there's so much more," Letang said. "After hockey, there's a long time. You want to be able to enjoy those moments with your family, with your kids. So, it was hard.
"But we've been through this, and me and Dharmesh have a clear understanding that we're going to take all the time we need. I know he's doing everything he can to make sure I'm safe and I can go back to what I do. And like he said, when I feel ready to go and practice like I did today, he is gonna give me the green light that it's safe."

Letang understands that 'stroke' is a scary word, and that from the outside, people may wonder why he continues to play hockey after what he's gone through. But as Dr. Vyas said, the sport hasn't caused these strokes, since he was already at risk just from the hole in his heart. And Letang feels fortunate that they've resolved on their own so that he can go back to a normal life and hopefully, continue doing what he loves.
"People know me well by now, and they know that hockey is a passion for me. It's something that it's gonna take a lot to drag me out of it. But at the same time, I know the danger," Letang said. "I know everything. I made sure that I know all the risk I'm taking, and if there's none, I will resume playing. That's what is the case right now."
When the news was first announced on Nov. 30, Letang said he is fortunate to know his body well enough to recognize when something isn't right - and while it's difficult to navigate this issue publicly, he's hopeful it can raise awareness. Today, Letang explained the timeline of what happened, saying that in the past, he's had migraines a lot.
Usually, the timeframe for those lasts two hours. It starts with a half hour where Letang is struggling with his vision, he gets headaches, and gets nauseous.
"Either I throw up or I go to sleep, and they kind of wear off and I'm good to go," Letang said. "Usually, I get maybe one or maybe two every two months, but they were happening every three hours. They kept coming, coming, coming. That's when I kind of made notice of that cycle."
He reported those symptoms to Dr. Vyas and head athletic trainer Chris Stewart, and immediately went to the hospital for testing on Monday, Nov. 28. Letang was able to attend Pittsburgh's game the next night, and was there when Sullivan told the players about his diagnosis following their overtime loss to Carolina.
His teammates have all said how important it was for them to actually see for themselves that Letang was doing well and in good spirits, and the blueliner said it was just as important for him to be around them during this past stretch.
"We have great group of guys. They've helped me," Letang said. "They just brought me in and treated me like they usually do. So that made me feel at home and felt comfortable. So to be around them, watch the games, be able to practice today - it's great for the mind."
He was given a heartfelt round of stick taps by the guys, who were thrilled to be reunited with Letang after everything he and his family have dealt with as of late.
"I think it just means things are going well, and it's great to see him out here with us," captain Sidney Crosby said.
"I think everybody is excited when he gets to join the team," Sullivan said. "It's just a great visual that he's making progress, and our medical team that has monitored him extremely closely feels comfortable with some of the progress that he's making and the steps he's taking. So, everybody, I think, was real excited about him joining the group."