Without the care he received from Mercy Health – Springfield Regional Medical Center along with his will to live, Greg Brumfield may not have made it after a serious heart attack in July of 2021.
He came into the emergency room suffering a ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) heart attack, which is the deadliest type of heart attack. It is a total or nearly total blockage of a coronary artery that supplies oxygen-rich blood to the heart.
Upon arrival, Greg had to be shocked before making it to the cath lab. He was then shocked out of a lethal rhythm several more times. While doctors attempted to open his left anterior descending artery, it kept shutting down. Greg then had to have open-heart surgery.
“We didn’t think he was going to make it. He flatlined in the ER,” Greg’s wife shares. “All of the staff was so thorough and compassionate. They came out and updated us before and after the procedures. I really think all of the stars aligned to keep Greg alive.”
While Greg was recovering from surgery, smoke alarms in the hospital started to go off.
Greg recalls, “I looked at my nurse, Mallory, who sat by my side all night, and asked ‘how will I get out of here if the elevators are shut down?’ She replied, ‘Greg, don’t you worry about it. I will carry you down the steps if I need to.’
Luckily, the situation was taken care of right away. But Greg knows Mallory would have carried him out of there if needed.
Unfortunately, Greg’s journey to recovery wasn’t quite over yet. Seven weeks after his bypass surgery he had another heart attack. This time it was from a blood clot, but his care team was able to obliterate the blood clot.
Greg is now in the cardiac rehab program at Mercy Health – Springfield Regional Medical Center and is getting stronger every day.
Mercy Health – Springfield Regional Medical Center is prepared with the latest heart care technology. We have expert health care providers to treat patients with compassion as well as cardiothoracic service right down the hallway.
Happy American Heart Month! Learn more about the cardiology services we offer at Mercy Health.
1 Comment
Post a CommentKaren Cooley
Worked in surgery and collaborated with the ladies and gentlemen, they are a well-oiled machine. When my husband had a heart attack, we went straight to SRMC. Dr Akhter and the crew on call the midnight shift were so kind and reassuring. He received the treatment he needed and recovered. I was forever grateful to them for their swift response and experience. God bless you all.