Sheila Ferrell is a social worker on the open heart surgery unit at Union Memorial Hospital.  Last year, her husband went through open heart surgery and was treated on her very floor at Union Memorial.  We thank Sheila for sharing her first-hand and very personal perspective on heart disease with Let’s Dish!. 

My husband, Jim, and I went through a lot in 2007. Early in the year, I had an elective surgery that was painful and had some complications but all was cool by July. When I was well, Jim decided to take a vacation in order to visit with and say goodbye to our son, who was to be redeployed to Afghanistan. Jim was getting our dog and our Tahoe ready to go one Saturday, when he came through the door with a 50 lb. bag of dog food. The dog food hit the ground and the next thing that I knew, my 58 year old husband hit the chair, grey in the face and complaining of pressure in his chest. Incredibly, he told me that he was going to rest there for a minute and then be on his way - 6 hours with my truck and my dog! “No way,” I said and proceeded to take him to the hospital where I work as a Cardiac Social Worker on the open heart surgery unit.

The doctor told us that Jim needed an aortic valve replacement and coronary artery bypass surgery. As I listened to the news, I went over the risk factors in my head. I was familiar with the whole process due to working with this type of patient on a daily basis. The surgery went as scheduled but Jim stayed on my floor for 2 weeks with rhythm complications. His body reacted in a strange way after surgery and Jim had an added diagnosis of gout and diabetes - none of which he had prior to surgery. Everything finally resolved and after following a strict diet, medication and exercise regimen, Jim is diabetes and gout free.

It was very scary that I had to come to work in order to see my husband. His main struggle now is quitting smoking. Despite the warnings and the risks, he is still having a difficult time. I claim that he is stubborn and weak and he claims that I just don’t know how hard it is to kick this addiction. While he still struggles with some things, we have made some positive changes in our lifestyle. We are eating more fiber, fruits and vegetables, fish, and broiled food and very little of anything fried. We are even trying red yeast rice, fish oil and different margarines and heart healthy juices. My husband’s goal is to remain heart-healthy - and mine is not to be a patient on my own floor!

— Sheila Ferrell, SW

   
> Read more posts in the “Dish from the Heart” series
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