From Cardiac Arrest to Recovery: A Second Chance at Life Through Heart Surgery

I survived the unexpected

At 67 years old, I never expected to go through something as serious as open-heart surgery. After suffering a heart attack and cardiac arrest at work in December, everything changed in an instant. I was rushed by ambulance to Bronson Methodist Hospital, where the team discovered I had severe coronary artery disease and needed bypass surgery to survive.

From the beginning, the care I received at Bronson made me feel positive. The nurses, doctors and staff treated me like family. Even during some of the hardest moments, they showed kindness, patience and encouragement.

My cardiothoracic surgeon, Dr. Amin, took the time to explain everything and even gave me his personal phone number so I could reach out with questions. He made me feel calm and confident about the surgery.

Before the procedure, I worked hard to strengthen my heart by exercising and walking every day.

After my coronary artery bypass surgery in March, I was surprised by how smoothly my recovery went. I was up walking the same day and completed four laps around the unit. Today, I walk about four miles a day, attend physical therapy and continue working on rebuilding my strength and memory.

Bronson didn’t just take care of my heart — they helped me believe in my future again.