Patient Stories - Providence St. Peter Reigonal Heart Center
Two years ago my husband seemed to be in good health. Approaching 42 years old, with a young family, he was a hard working man with lots of life. He decided to go to New Orleans and help with rebuilding the city after Hurricane Katrina as part of a mission project. He returned tired but happy. The next day, his 42nd birthday, he began to feel funny. We called 911 and they confirmed that he was having a massive heart attack. The ambulance workers transfered him to St. Peters hospital losing him three times on the way. The emergency room team was ready for him as soon as the ambulance pulled up and within 20 mins he was in the cath lab getting a stent put in his artery that was 100% blocked. Both the doctors and the emergency personel saved my husbands life with their quick actions and expertise in cardiac emergencies. Truly he would not be here today with out them. A year and 1/2 later, after his excellent care, he is back to work and enjoying a normal life with our kids. Thank you St. Peters Hospital for being there for my huband and our father. The Ervines, Heather, Emii 11, Makaylee 10, and Payton 9.
I was taken by ambulance after calling 911, to the ER. I had an aortic disection and luckily the surgial team, Dr Santamarina, was still at the hospital. They were told not to leave as a major case was coming in, which was myself. If the surgical team had left the hospital, I would not of made it. When my wife arrived at the hospital, Dr Santamarina told her he had to immediately take me into surgery, could not wait even 10 minutes. He saved my life. Everyone at Providence St. Peter Hospital are wonderful. I was in the ICU unit for 6 days - - the nursing teams in ICU were very attentive to my problem and took very good care of me. The nursing staff on the 11th floor, where I was moved after ICU, were also very good and their treatment was exceptional. A simple "thank you" just doesn't seem like enough, but I do say a very big THANK YOU to everyone. Thank you for letting me share my story and thank you Providence St. Peter Hospital for being such a wonderful and caring facility. Sincerely, James A Jones, Jr.
Hear Dan Baker's story in this 30-second video.
"In 37 minutes you can go from the scare of your life to having your life saved at Providence St. Peter"
Providence's Olympia Heart Center was the right place for Alan Powell's heart
In 37 minutes, Olympia resident Alan Powell went from the scare of his life to receiving life-saving care at Providence St. Peter's advanced Cardiac Catheterization Lab.
Alan's ordeal began on Friday, March 27, when he noticed a pulling sensation in his chest. Because he'd just finished a morning workout, he thought he might have pulled a muscle.
In a matter of minutes the pain worsened--and didn't go away. His wife Cindy knew something was terribly wrong and told Alan she was calling 9-1-1. Within minutes, paramedics arrived, telling Cindy, "Your husband is having a massive heart attack."
Alan was rushed to Providence St. Peter Hospital. And just 37 minutes after his wife called 9-1-1, a stent was placed in Alan's blocked artery, allowing blood to flow.
Fast treatment makes all the difference
"It still amazes me how fast it all happened," says Cindy Powell. "The difference for Alan is that I called the paramedics, who immediately began providing treatment at our house. And the timing couldn't have been more perfect at the hospital. They whisked him into the Cath Lab and treated him right away."
The quick, skilled treatment Alan received is what separates Providence from many hospitals, locally and across the country. Providence consistently beats the national benchmark for prompt heart attack treatment by more than 50 percent. In fact, Providence ranks among the top 10 percent of hospitals nationwide.
An active and healthy 62-year-old, Alan is still surprised not only by the prompt, skilled care he received at the Providence St. Peter Regional Heart Center, but also by how quickly he has recovered.
"I don't know that you can call a heart attack a pleasant experience. But it went as well as can be expected," he says. "When I heard I was having a heart attack, I immediately thought I'd need surgery. But the stent procedure was quick and relatively painless.
Heart attack Friday, family dinner on Sunday
"I did so well the doctors let me go home on Sunday afternoon, just two days after my heart attack," adds Alan. And after experiencing the scare of his life, the Powells gathered for a memorable and heart-warming family dinner that evening.
"My family and I have discussed it many times and are continually amazed," Alan recalls. "The key, really was how quickly I got care at Providence."