When 63-year-old Jim Abbott experienced two brief but noteworthy episodes of chest pain in a single day last December, he knew it was nothing to ignore—even amid a pandemic and with Christmas just hours away. He’d had similar episodes in the weeks before, but now they were coming more often, and it was concerning.
After a call to 911, he was transported to Luminis Health Anne Arundel Medical Center (LHAAMC) by ambulance. And it was a trip that likely saved his life. Testing would later reveal major blockages in blood vessels feeding his heart.
When Abbott arrived at the hospital, doctors were determined he wasn’t having a heart attack, but it was clear something was going on with his health. On their advice, Abbott followed up with his own physician, who in turn, referred him to a cardiologist. Within days of his emergency room visit, he was scheduled for additional tests, which revealed that two of his heart’s blood vessels were 99 percent blocked and that a third was 80 percent blocked. And that meant he would need triple bypass surgery.
As a smoker and someone who ate “anything and everything,” despite having diabetes, Abbott had major risk factors for heart disease. But he admits that hearing he needed surgery was a surprise. He never considered himself unhealthy and had no personal or family history of heart problems. Not one to sit and stew, however, he was determined to tackle the challenge head-on.
“You’ve got to face reality,” he says. “It’s got to be done.”
Care that Heals
LHAAMC had just started performing cardiac surgery days before, so Abbott had choices to make about where to have his operation. With his typical take-charge attitude, he chose to have heart surgery at LHAAMC.
“I knew how much work they put into getting the OK to do the surgery,” he says in recognition of the hospital’s five years of planning, preparation, and training. He also knew he’d be in good hands with the team the hospital had recruited. “From what I heard, they got the best of the best,” he adds.
So, on January 7, 2021, at 6 a.m., Abbott entered the operating room under the care of Daniel C. Lee, MD, chief of cardiac surgery at LHAAMC. The operation was long and involved harvesting healthy veins and arteries from his leg and chest to sew into his heart in a way that allowed blood to go around, or bypass, each of his three blockages.
Jim didn’t wake up until 6 p.m. that evening. He remembers thinking when he opened his eyes, “There are more tubes and wires attached to me than I ever could have imagined.” And because of COVID-19 safety protocols, no one could visit him in the hospital. But he found great comfort and support with his care team. “I had four of the greatest nurses on earth and they took care of me,” Abbott says. “They took care of me and they knew what they were doing, each and every one of them.”
Within days, Abbott was up and walking laps around the cardiac intensive care unit. He learned about diet and lifestyle changes that would be important for his health. And his team explained how to safely take his medications—some 19 in all—over the course of the day. He also spent plenty of time joking and laughing with his care team. “We were always having fun,” he says. “I had to make the best of it.”
By January 13, Abbott was discharged from the hospital and returned home, grateful to Dr. Lee and all who had cared for him.
To a Long, Healthy Future
As he continues his recovery, Abbott is making better dietary choices and participating in LHAAMC’s cardiac rehabilitation program. There, he takes part in supervised exercise three times a week to build strength, endurance, and confidence. He even quit smoking cold turkey (although perhaps with just a little help from his wife.)
“When I came home, I knew I had a half a carton of cigarettes in my car, but they were gone,” he says chuckling. “I know my wife went in there and ditched them.”
He’s looking forward to returning to work and golfing by mid-spring. But beyond that, he’s just looking forward to his future in general—a future he knows he might have otherwise lost had he not sought help when he did. Of those who succumb to heart attacks, roughly half die within 60 minutes of their initial symptoms and before they make it to the hospital. His story is a reminder of the importance of acting fast at the first heart attack signs.
“If I would have let things go, I would have had a heart attack and likely would have died,” he says. “It kind of wakes you up.”
Now, there’s lots of life to live, and he plans to do just that. “I’ve got another 63 years to go,” he jokes.
Heart Attack Warning Signs
If you have signs of a heart attack, call 911 right away. Acting fast may mean the difference between life and death.
Signs may include:
Nausea, lightheadedness, or breaking out in a cold sweat. Pain or discomfort in one or both arms, your back, neck, jaw, or stomach. Shortness of breath. Uncomfortable pressure, pain, fullness, or squeezing in the center of the chest
While chest pain is the most common heart attack symptom for men and women, women may be more likely to have shortness of breath, nausea or vomiting, and back or jaw pain.
“Listen to Your Heart” provided by Luminis Health Anne Arundel Medical Center.
