The Miracle of a Heartbeat
James and Susan Thompson
Aug, 2015
Physicians: Christopher Trigger, MD; Polya Baghelai, MD; Kourosh Baghelai, MD; Troy Teagardin, PA
When Susan Thompson arrived home from work last November, she knew something wasn’t right. Her husband, James, had stayed home from his job and wasn’t feeling well. Now, James was feeling worse and knew it was time to go see a doctor. As Sue was getting ready to take him to the walk-in clinic, she heard a loud noise come from the other room. Without warning, James had passed out.
Worried, Sue called an ambulance. Despite his vitals being normal, they decided to be safe and go to Lakeland Medical Center, St. Joseph. James had a normal EKG, and emergency medicine physician Christopher Trigger, MD, ordered a CT scan for James’s chest.
When radiologist Polya Baghelai, MD, read the test, she knew she had to act fast. James had an aortic dissection, a very serious condition that involves a tear in the wall of the main blood vessel to the heart. Taking quick action, Dr. Baghelai called her husband, Kourosh Baghelai, MD, Medical Director of Cardiothoracic Surgery Services at Lakeland, who was on call that night. James would have to undergo immediate, eight-hour long emergency surgery to repair his aorta. While James was in surgery, Susan and their family waited.
“It was such a hard time for us while we waited,” said Susan. “But everyone was so kind and compassionate. Every staff member we saw kept asking us what they could do, even if they weren’t working with James. They even brought us warm blankets. They truly treated us like family.”
After successful surgery, James was brought into the Critical Care Unit to recover. Susan was given a number to be able to call frequently and receive updates on her husband’s condition. The nurses on the floor would answer and give an update each time, even when she called during late hours.
“One of the nurses stayed by my side the entire night,” said James. “Even though I wasn’t necessarily aware that she was there, it really meant a lot.”
James spent several more days recovering before he was discharged. With everything that had happened and with a long list of new medications, Susan and James were concerned about being able to remember their instructions.
“Troy Teagardin, PA gave us his personal phone number to call if we had questions,” said Susan. “And we did, many times.”
After discharge, James went through a couple months of cardiac rehabilitation to get him back to full strength.
“I thought at first that it wouldn’t do anything,” said James. “But after the first session, even I was surprised with what a huge difference it made.”
Now, James is back to work as an electrician, and enjoying time spent with his wife, Susan.
“We are so grateful to Lakeland for saving him,” said Susan. “The teamwork was there. From the moment we entered the Emergency Department, everyone treated us like we were family.”
“It’s a miracle.” Said Susan. “They saved my husband’s life.”
Watch James and Susan tell more of their story in the video below: