help for the heart

ONE MAN’S STORY OF SURVIVAL

Words by Kimberly Tubbs

Photography by Taylor Jane Photography

a person’s life can change in a matter of hours. Randy Scofield is living proof of that.

The 37-year-old husband and father from Moorhead discovered he had not one, but two major heart issues in one four-hour period. Fortunately, he’s here to share his story.

Just Another Day

It all began on a seemingly ordinary day in March 2016. Scofield had just returned home from work and was making dinner with his wife Rebecca, a dental hygienist, and their new baby boy, Michael.

And that’s when it happened.

“I felt strange and had pain in my chest,” Scofield says. “I decided to lay down and rest for a bit in the bedroom, assuming the feeling would pass.”

After a few minutes, his wife became concerned and went to check on Scofield, finding he had lost feeling in his left leg and was becoming paralyzed from the waist down. She then took Scofield to the emergency room at Sanford Medical Center in Fargo.

The heart of the matter

Before he even arrived at the ER, Scofield also lost feeling in his right leg. Upon arrival, he was given tests and scans, ultimately discovering Scofield had suffered a serious heart condition known as an aortic dissection — his first major heart issue.

Aortic dissections are a relatively uncommon condition in which there is a tear in inner layer of the major artery carrying blood out of the heart (aorta). Blood bursts through the tear, causing blood to flow between the inner and middle layers of the aorta. This can lead to an aortic rupture or decreased blood flow to organs.

Without prompt, proper treatment, aortic dissections can be fatal. Because symptoms of aortic dissection may mimic those of other diseases, diagnosis can be delayed. The condition most frequently occurs in men in their 60s and 70s, so Scofield being such a young victim is rare.

Immediate Access To Expert Heart Care

Once Scofield’s condition was discovered, the team at Sanford sprang into action. Kenneth Grosz, MD, emergency medicine and adult trauma, immediately consulted with Roxanne Newman, MD, cardiothoracic surgeon at Sanford, to repair the aortic dissection.

Newman and her cardiothoracic surgery team performed emergent complex repair of Scofield’s aortic tear. This required complete replacement of his aorta, his aortic valve and re-establishing circulation to his heart. This procedure was augmented in its success by the super cooling his body to protect his brain.

A Healthy Reflection

Scofield's account of the day’s events was aided by the other people who stepped in to help save his life.

“I don’t remember much after I left work on that day,” he says. “In a span of four hours, I went from a typical day in my life to learning I had significant issues with my heart.”

While Scofield doesn’t remember the emergency room staff, the surgical team who performed the surgical treatment, or the nurses who cared for him in the intensive care unit following his procedures, the experience has forever changed his life.

“I spent three months at Sanford’s cardiac rehabilitation program regaining my strength, and I plan to continue getting stronger and healthier,” Scofield says. “I now eat a healthier diet and go to the gym.”

In addition, Scofield, his wife and son had genetic testing, also available at Sanford, to see if they have markers for aortic dissection. This could help them and their medical team be better prepared for any future issues for the entire family.

“I know how fortunate I am because of my wife and my medical team at Sanford,” Scofield says. “It’s important to have an advocate there for you in times of distress. Because of my wife, the skilled emergency medical staff and the highly specialized care provided by Dr. Newman, I am able to enjoy a life with my family.” LEARN about recipes, vacations and the last book you read. And sometimes we’re amused by a story about changing a diaper or a pet accident. But certain conversations can take a leap of faith. Like talking to children about the birds and the bees. Or discussing colonoscopies. If you don’t want to think about this somewhat embarrassing screening, think again. Colorectal cancer is the number two leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States. This test can and does save lives.

Words by Kristy Olsgaard Portrait Photograph by Exposures by j.linnea