Florida Hospital Waterman | Waterman Wellness | Early WInter 2019

4 FHWaterman.com | Early Winter 2019 A coronary DETOUR and restored flow It was a hot afternoon in July when James Gibby, of Mount Dora, took his wife shopping for their upcoming cruise to Alaska. “We walked out of the mall and had a flat tire on our car,” Gibby says. “I proceeded to change the tire and was literally on my knees, upside down, cranking the lift. I started hav- ing pain in my left shoulder, so I sat in the car for 10 minutes until the pain went away. I thought it was a cramp. I didn’t relate it to a heart issue.” “Two days later, my breathing had gradually become more and more challenging and I wasn’t sleeping well,” Gibby says. “I called my good friend, Dr. Jack Cassell, and I told him my symptoms. He immediately drove to my house and took me to the Florida Hospital Waterman Emergency Department.” Gibby was quickly evaluated by Gary Allen, MD, board-certified cardiothoracic surgeon, and given a cardiac catheterization. “Cardiac catheterization is a procedure used to diagnose and treat cardiovascular conditions,” explains Dr. Allen. “A long thin tube called a catheter is inserted in an artery or vein in your groin, neck or arm and threaded through your blood vessels to your heart.” “He found three arteries that were blocked. One was 100 percent blocked,” says Gibby. “Dr. Allen said I was experiencing heart failure and would need coronary artery bypass surgery.” A new passageway Coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) is a surgical option for people who have severe coronary artery disease, a condition in which plaque builds up in the coronary arteries and reduces blood flow to the heart muscle. It is typically only performed when other treatments, such as medicine, are not sufficient to correct the blockage. Gibby had his surgery as soon as he could and recovered in the hospital before being discharged to continue his recovery with home care nursing. “I was advised to stay mobile and be as active as I could once I went home. I really recovered dramatically and rapidly,” Gibby says. “The home care nurses were excellent. They checked my vitals and advised me on various ways to recover faster and more efficiently. I followed their instructions to the letter. I lamented when the visits stopped because I became good friends with several of the nurses.” “Right now, I have no sensation of ever having surgery or heart failure,” says Gibby. “I’m anticipating being as aggressive as possible in my upcom- ing cardiac rehab sessions to elevate myself back to the best quality of life. My goal is a full recovery and to be as vital as ever.” Gibby and his wife are planning to reschedule their original travel plans, and he is intent on using his experience to help others. “The primary thing I would say to anyone else is if you have an issue, deal with it. Don’t ignore it,” Gibby says. “Call your doctor, get to the hospital. If it’s a false alarm, that’s fine. If it’s not a false alarm, then you will be in the best hands pos- sible. The earlier you deal with it, the better your outcome will be.”

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