On a Sunday last July, Vincent R. woke up with a pain in his chest, but he didn’t think anything of it.
After a quick nap later that morning, he felt better and went about his day with his wife Shannon, laughing together while running errands.
But later that evening as Vincent tried to fall asleep, the chest pain returned. This time, he simply couldn’t ignore it.
“I told my wife, we need to go now,” recalled Vincent.
Shannon drove him straight to the Hillsboro Medical Center Emergency Room. By that time, the pain had extended from his chest all the way down into his arms.
The Hillsboro Medical Center Emergency Room team quickly ran tests and found that Vincent was experiencing an NSTEMI heart attack, a type of heart attack that occurs when a partly blocked coronary artery reduces blood flow to the heart.
Vincent and his wife Shannon enjoying a baseball game just a few short months after his heart attack.
Vincent was immediately rushed into the Hillsboro Medical Center Catheterization Lab. On the way there, his legs couldn’t stop shaking because he was so scared.
Once he was in the Catheterization Lab, Hillsboro Medical Center board-certified cardiologist Dr. Kris Kumar performed an angioplasty.
“Prompt recognition of symptoms and early intervention helped to improve overall outcomes in this case,” explained Dr. Kumar. “Early intervention in patients experiencing heart attacks helps to reduce mortality and improve clinical outcomes.”
After the procedure, Vincent was admitted to the Hillsboro Medical Center Intensive Care Unit (ICU). Every single hour that first night, a nurse came in to check on him.
“Everybody was checking on me at the hospital when I was there,” explained Vincent.
Vincent spent four days recovering in the ICU. To be cleared to go home, he had to walk by himself around the nurse’s station. Vincent felt encouraged by his nurses rooting him on and was able to complete the full lap.
Vincent and his wife Shannon attending a wedding after his heart attack.
“Because of the care I was so successful,” said Vincent. “Everybody was doing what they were supposed to do.”
After six weeks of rest and participation in the Hillsboro Medical Center Cardiac Rehabilitation program, Vincent was able to return to his beloved job of 35 years at Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club.
He also went back to Hillsboro Medical Center Cardiovascular Clinic to be seen again by Dr. Kumar, who noted that Vincent’s bloodwork had greatly improved.
“He [Dr. Kumar] said before I left, ‘We have this bond now,’” noted Vincent. “Which is true because he saved my life.”
Today, Vincent walks an hour before he goes into work and eats a healthy diet. He enjoys being able to hunt again with his sons and looks forward to fishing with them soon.
“I’m glad I’m here – I’m able to see certain peoples’ faces, laugh with them and enjoy them,” reflected Vincent. “I’m able to go ahead and live more of my life.”
