Joe was working in his yard last year when he started to feel “funny.”
He quickly became fatigued — an experience that was out of the ordinary for him.
A self-professed workaholic and retired home repairman, Joe enjoys working outside and staying active with family.
As his symptoms worsened, he decided to take a break in the air conditioning. He considered driving to nearby UPMC Hanover to visit his brother, who was recently admitted.
“I felt like I couldn’t do any more work,” says Joe. “I figured I would go to the hospital my brother was at and try to talk to a doctor there about how I was feeling.”
He called his wife, Ginger, who was working at the time, and described his symptoms.
Ginger insisted he call 911 immediately and wait for an ambulance. Thankfully, Joe did just that.
“The ambulance pulled up and they started working on me,” he says. “I told the EMT my plan to drive to the hospital myself. The EMT responded, ‘I’ll tell you this right now: You probably wouldn’t have made it to the hospital.’”
The EMTs told Joe they had already sent his information to the hospital and a team of cardiac specialists were awaiting his arrival.
Within minutes, Joe was greeted at the door by Gurpal Singh, MD, interventional cardiologist, and a team of skilled nurses.
Dr. Singh introduced himself and told Joe they had some work to do — assuring him he was in good hands.
‘I Was Just So Impressed’
A few hours later, Joe awoke in a hospital room already feeling a bit better.
“Dr. Singh said I had a heart attack and that he placed two stents in my heart,” says Joe. “He told me that I was going to be OK and I would be in the hospital for a few days.”
Joe described his stay at UPMC Hanover as “amazing.”
He and his wife moved from Massachusetts and say their experience with UPMC was unparalleled. UPMC Hanover is brimming with skilled, efficient, and compassionate staff, they say with confidence.
“It is so incredible how well they took care of me,” Joe says. “Everyone knew what to do without being asked. I was just so impressed. I can’t get over the fantastic service I had from the moment I arrived until the moment I left. I don’t think they could have done any better than what they did during my stay.”
Joe says he hopes to personally thank each one of his caregivers, specifically mentioning great care from Aleksei Godok, MD, who specializes in hospital medicine at UPMC Hanover.
Joe was discharged after a few days in the hospital, but not before his care team made sure he understood his detailed follow-up care instructions. Joe was never in the dark about what was next.
He completed cardiac rehabilitation close to home in Hanover, noting it played a key role in getting him back in shape.
Post-Heart Attack Lessons
Now, Joe is back to doing what he loves most — spending time with family and staying active outside.
He says his heart attack experience left him with a valuable lesson.
“I tell everybody, if you feel sick like I did, call 911,” he says. “Do not try to drive yourself anywhere.”
UPMC Heart and Vascular Institute offers dedicated and caring physicians and staff who are committed to providing the highest quality of care from diagnosis to rehabilitation.
You’ll always have the support you need to build strength, stay active, and feel confident during your recovery.
For more information, visit UPMC.com/CentralPaHeart.