Last Thanksgiving, Marjorie Gibson was preparing for a road trip to Austin, Texas, to visit family when she felt the familiar breathlessness and tightness in her chest. Diagnosed in 1995 with heart failure, the 73-year- old Dallas, Ga., resident knew the symptoms all too well. Marjorie called 911 and went to WellStar Paulding Hospital, just seven miles from her home.
More than six million people in the U.S. suffer from heart failure, according to the American Heart Association. Heart failure is serious – the heart cannot pump enough blood and oxygen to support other organs. Symptoms include shortness of breath, trouble breathing when lying down, weight gain with swelling, and fatigue.
“Marjorie was experiencing an acute worsening of her heart failure,” explained Alan Cheng, M.D., WellStar Cardiovascular Medicine. “She was also in atrial fibrillation (irregular heartbeat) which had probably weakened her heart – her ejection fraction (EF) was 20-25 percent.” EF is an important measurement of how well a heart is working; a normal EF is 55-60 percent, meaning 55-60 percent of the blood is pumped out with each heartbeat.
After two cardioversions, Marjorie’s heart returned to normal rhythm. The procedure involves sending electric shocks to the heart through electrodes placed on the chest. “God was taking care of me,” said Marjorie, who spent five nights at WellStar Paulding. “I’m so grateful we didn’t embark on that 16-hour road trip. And I’m thankful for WellStar’s Heart Failure Academy.”
The Academy is a free, four-week course at WellStar Paulding for patients and family members aimed at empowering them to make the lifestyle changes necessary to manage their condition and keep them out of the hospital.“It’s difficult to teach patients everything they need to know in a 15-minute clinic visit,” said Dr. Cheng. “The one-and- a-half- hour sessions, which cover what heart failure is, medications, diet, exercise and stress management, are led by our multidisciplinary team. They have been so well received – our patients have many ‘aha’ moments.”
One of those moments for Marjorie was receiving an innovative pill dispenser; the plastic rectangular container was divided into days of the week and each day was subdivided into morning, noon and night. “It’s the handiest thing – everyone was so pleased to receive one,” said Marjorie.
Majorie also is pleased to have world-class healthcare, close to home. “Dr. Cheng has taken exceptional care of me – he covers all the bases,” she said. “For years, I went to an intown hospital, and I wouldn’t sleep the night before, praying for no wrecks or rain for my long drive. And if you must go to the hospital, WellStar Paulding is the best – the best food, the biggest, most beautiful rooms, the finest staff.”
Marjorie is back to walking on the Silver Comet Trail, and helping care for her five grandchildren. “Dr. Cheng didn’t want me to keep them till my heart got stronger – but now it is.” “Marjorie graduated from the Heart Failure Academy and has done a wonderful job of managing her condition,” said Dr. Cheng. “Her EF is now 50-55 percent, and she feels completely better.”
For more information or to register for the free Heart Failure Academy, call 678-324- 4444.