The public is invited to attend the 10th annual Hearts of Hope tree lighting ceremony Wednesday, Feb. 12 at 4 pm in the West Lobby of St. Mary Medical Center in Hobart. Guest speaker Raymond Perry, 31, of Crown Point, will share his personal story and illuminate the heart-decorated tree with lights that shine in honor of those whose lives have been affected by cardiovascular disease.
The annual Hearts of Hope campaign raises funds for the Cardiovascular Research program at the hospitals of Community Healthcare System: St. Mary Medical Center in Hobart, St. Catherine Hospital in East Chicago and Community Hospital in Munster. Besides Perry’s personal story and lighting of the trees, the ceremony will feature an update on current advances in cardiovascular research by Cardiologist Anas H. Safadi, MD, remarks by hospital CEO Janice Ryba and includes musical entertainment by the Hobart High School girls’ choir, Wolffgang.
Perry’s story begins when he says he had been having trouble breathing and thought that he had a bad respiratory infection. “I felt sick all the time, and then I started having trouble breathing when I would walk a short distance around the house,” he said. “I couldn’t do simple tasks, and then, I started fainting.” He was shocked to find out that he had a massive pulmonary embolism.
Perry’s wife, Christina, a nursing student who also works at a hospital, knew it was something more than a respiratory infection. “We were out running errands, and he said his chest was bothering him,” said Christina. “The next day, he said he couldn’t breathe, and he looked strange to me, so I took him to St. Mary Medical Center where they admitted him for testing.”
“A chest CT revealed that Raymond Perry had a massive pulmonary embolism, or blood clot, in the lung,” said Safadi. “His condition was so severe it was life-threatening.” Fortunately, St. Mary Medical Center was one of the first hospitals in Indiana to adopt the newly developed EKOS Ultrasound Accelerated Thrombolysis, which uses advanced technology to break up blood clots. It was exactly what Perry needed.
“I started getting better right away,” said Perry. “I didn’t think I was going to make it. After the procedure, I could breathe again; I could feel my lungs getting better.”
“I treated Perry with a new technique called EKOS pharmaco-mechanical thrombectomy. The device uses catheters to emit ultrasound energy and are placed into the lung enabling medications to absorb directly into the clot,” said Safadi. “The large clots in the lung dissolve which improves blood flow and stabilizes blood pressure. It also reduces the risk of long-term pulmonary hypertension and right-sided heart failure.”
“It was amazing,” said Christina still in disbelief over how fast everything happened. “He went from almost dying, to back to normal. I will never forget Dr. Safadi telling me, if we would have waited 15 more minutes, Ray could have died.”
Since the incident Perry has taken control of his health. “I want to be healthy,” he said. “I’ve lost 60 pounds now. I have a family history of blood clots and diabetes, and I want to take care of myself so I can be here for my wife and daughter. I don’t want to die at an early age.”
Perry’s condition, though life-threatening, was treatable thanks to cardiovascular research and advances in technology available at St. Mary Medical Center. Preventative medicine and screening for illness is also a good way to catch conditions early and prevent disease.
“If you have trouble breathing and chest pain, go to the hospital right away,” advised Perry. “People die from pulmonary embolisms. If you start wheezing while being inactive, don’t take any chances.”
The Cardiovascular Research program at the hospitals of Community Healthcare System works to improve the heart health of the community through education and the advancement of knowledge from clinical trials and studies. Building upon Community Healthcare System's vast experience in treating heart disease, the hospitals are working to improve local access to new treatments options available only through research. These initiatives have made it possible for the system's hospitals to participate in national research trials directed at better detection, treatments and the prevention of heart disease.
To participate in the Hearts of Hope campaign or for more information on cardiovascular research being conducted at the hospitals of Community Healthcare System, log onto www.comhs.org/HeartsofHope.