to revert his heart back into a normal, safe rhythm. But it was evident based on Ken’s arrhythmia and his symptoms that he was likely suffering from a heart attack.”
Urgent Care vs. ER
And a massive heart attack, at that. Ken was quickly airlifted to UnityPoint Health – Iowa Methodist in Des Moines, where physicians discovered Ken had an artery that was 100 percent blocked. They put in four stents, then met with Carolyn and her daughter in the hallway. The physicians said they wouldn’t sugarcoat things. They told Carolyn to call family and have them come as soon as possible because there were no guarantees Ken would survive the night. “Frankly, I thought maybe they were going to tell me there was brain damage or something,” Carolyn recalled. “That was the toughest thing I think I’ve ever had to go through.” However, to everyone’s amazement, Ken did survive. His blood pressure, which was nonexistent at one juncture, started to climb on Saturday. By the wee hours on Sunday morning, Ken opened his eyes. And by Monday, as Ken was eased off sedatives, he became fully alert.
URGENT/EXPRESS CARE Open days, evenings, weekends and holidays. Treat injuries and illnesses that aren’t life-threatening but need immediate attention. • Upper respiratory problems • Sinus infection, sore throat or ear infection • Minor injuries, including small cuts and burns • Non-life-threatening allergic reactions
Just one month later, Ken is in remarkable shape. He tells people he doesn’t even feel residual effects of the heart attack. In fact, he doesn’t remember much from the ordeal, but he won’t forget an interaction he had with his cardiologist, who patted him on the arm and said, “You realize you probably shouldn’t be here, right?” “You can’t go through something like that without having a perspective altered,” Ken says. “Mortality sort of becomes real.” Carolyn is still amazed at the care and compassion shown by everyone associated with UnityPoint Health. “It’s almost as if they had all just come from a training class on customer service,” she says. “It was absolutely great.” “I think the care we got, they did all the right things … and I’m sitting here talking to you today because of it,” said Ken. “We’d give them two thumbs up. It was excellent.”
“I’m grateful this community has an emergency department like this, which has an amazing and talented staff ready to serve patients like Ken,” said Dr. Westemeyer. “In his case, life and death was a matter of minutes.”
EMERGENCY ROOM For serious or life-threatening health issues, call 911 or go to the emergency room. • Chest pain or heart attack symptoms • Stroke symptoms • Car accident injuries • Head pain (sudden or severe) or head injury • Loss of consciousness • Severe cuts • Open, broken bones
LiveWell Summer 2020 | 5
