Florida Hospital Waterman | Waterman Wellness | Winter 2019

AdventHealthWaterman.com 5 “They did an EKG and said it was abnormal,” Zillante says. “I was nervous, but I remember getting nitroglycerin under my tongue and my pain went away. Then Dr. Kunamneni came in and did a heart catheter, and that’s when I found out I needed to have open-heart surgery. I needed a triple bypass. I had three blockages, and they were severe enough that I could have had a major heart attack if I didn’t follow through and go to the emergency room when I did.” Great faith in their expertise Zillante was referred to AdventHealth Waterman cardiothoracic surgeon Wistar “Tim” Moore, MD, to perform her surgery. “I met Dr. Moore, and he explained the surgery to me. I was scared as heck, but he’s also a doctor I had great faith in because he did my husband’s heart surgery a few months before my surgery,” says Zillante. “I’ve been practicing heart and lung surgery for over 20 years,” says Dr. Moore. “Quite frankly, one of the best ways to pick a surgeon is word of mouth and reputation. This is frequently the way that I and my family choose physicians. We look at their reputation in the community. That’s very, very useful knowing if they have other satisfied patients.” ‘They were so good to me’ “When my surgery was over, I remember getting up and walking the very next day,” says Zillante. “There were physical therapists who came in to work with me. I was very impressed with the care I received from the nursing staff. Everyone was nice, and they were very good at raising my spirits.” “There’s much more to the care of a patient than just what we do surgically,” Dr. Moore says. “There’s also a spiritual component to healing. As a Christian, I agree with the AdventHealth Waterman approach of extending the healing ministry of Christ. I believe there is a Higher Power that looks after us and helps us. As a physician, I am involved in a greater mission that includes providing surgical care to my patients.” Zillante was in the hospital for nine days before going home under the care of home health aides. “I had a home health physical therapist come three times a week, and I had a nurse come twice a week,” says Zillante. “I grew very fond of them because they were so wonderful. Having the AdventHealth Waterman home health services made me feel more at ease because I had someone coming here to check my lungs and my blood pressure. They would ask me if I needed help filling my prescriptions for the week, and they did anything and everything. Even if I wanted to just sit and talk, they would just sit and talk. They were so good to me.” Today, Zillante is ready to start her cardiac rehabilitation exercises and is anticipating being cleared to return to life as normal again. “I cannot wait until I can go to Disney with my grandsons again,” Zillante says. “It’s been a while, and I look forward to it quite a bit. I also look forward to going back to work.” Wistar Moore, MD ARE YOU HEART-HEALTHY? Visit AdventHealthHeartWaterman.com to take our heart health quiz and learn more about how to keep your heart going strong. “There’s also a spiritual component to healing.” New Treatment Options: Get Your Heart Back on Beat FEATURING: Miguel Bryce, MD, FACC Thursday, Feb. 21, 1 p.m. AdventHealth Waterman Mattison Conference Center 1000 Waterman Way, Tavares Join Dr. Bryce for a review of the heart’s electrical system, arrhythmias and specific cardiac devices that can help restore and regulate your heart rhythm. Registration is required. To register, visit AdventHealthWaterman.com .