Don't Ignore the Signs: How Beebe Rescued Me from My Own Bad Decisions
By Robert Herrington, Ocean View Delaware
On July 6, I made a bad decision. I was wrong and I am sharing this to help anyone who has a similar experience. Do not be dumb like I was. Overexerting myself on that day, I became short of breath and felt pressure like I had eaten something that gave me indigestion.
Despite having served many years as an EMT and paramedic, and also having served as a nurse, I did the dumb man thing and reasoned “this will pass, it’s probably indigestion.” Even having bypass surgery as part of my history, I continued to rationalize it away. Well, it wasn’t any of the things I had conjured up in my mind! Over the next couple of weeks, I was exhausted all the time and lost my zeal for working and playing.
A visit to my primary care physician, Brian Caswell-Monack, DO, gave me a referral to the cardiologist, Ramon Rosa, MD, in Lewes, and suddenly all sorts of things began to unfold in no uncertain terms. Dr. Rosa let me know I had to make this my top priority to deal with, as he suspected, serious trouble. He got me in as a priority case to have a nuclear stress test.
It was then that things really escalated. Dr. Rosa sat me down and said, “you have damage we can see, and we need to get you in as fast as we can for a cardiac catheterization.” And so it was, that within “no time flat” as they say, I was in the care of amazing, kind and wonderful people in The Cardiovascular Institute at Beebe Healthcare. Everyone was impressive, and I felt safe. They explained everything. They all exuded genuine caring and the highest level of skill.
As it turned out, due to my previous bypass, my procedure turned out to be more diagnostic than any attempt to put in a stent. Dr. Rosa held a conference with three cardiovascular specialists, and it was determined that I needed a stent in the circumflex artery. A second procedure was scheduled and suddenly Robert Myers, MD, appears!
Dr. Myers explained to me that he had studied the films of my previous catheterization, and he was convinced that he could place the stent by going through my right radial artery (wrist). But if that was not successful, it would be necessary to go through the femoral artery by accessing it in the left inguinal area. Dr. Myers didn’t just jump to that, he discussed it with me and asked me if that was okay.
I said, “you’re the doctor you know best.”
In just 32 minutes I was out of the operating room and in recovery.
In the recovery room, I felt the splendor of fresh air entering my lungs with absolutely no shortness of breath. The pressure in my chest was gone. It was amazing! Recovering at home, I felt alive again. I wanted to go back to work. I wanted to play with my antique cars and visit my friends. The team at Beebe gave me back the pleasure of living!
The point of my story is this: Don’t be dumb like I was! If you have chest discomfort and shortness of breath, or prolonged indigestion - call 911! I was a paramedic and certified in advanced cardiac life support, yet I was still capable of denial, rationalization and yes, simply capable of being a stupid man. Stereotype accepted!
If you have these symptoms, splendid people at Beebe Healthcare are ready to care for you. Sharp doctors like Dr. Rosa and Dr. Myers, caring nurses, skilled technicians, and I’m sure so many others, are there and ready to save you.
Beebe Healthcare’s Cardiovascular Institute is truly amazing. In spite of my dumb procrastination, rationalization and denial - these people, once I got in their care, gave me back my zest for life and probably actually saved my life.
Three cheers for Drs. Caswell-Monack, Rosa, Myers, the nurses and staff of the Cardiovascular Institute at Beebe Healthcare! May God bless them all!
