Dennis Ittenback
I must have jinxed myself. The day I turned 60, I boasted I was the healthiest 60-year-old around. I've had no major injuries or illnesses, never been hospitalized, not on any medications, and I don't even need glasses. I eat right, exercise regularly three to five times a week, and still work as a physical therapist in my own clinic. Two weeks later, I woke up at 2:30am with tightness in my chest, profuse sweating, jaw pain, left upper arm pain, and shortness of breath. I couldn't believe it; I was having a heart attack. Not only did I have a heart attack, but I found out I was going to need a quintuple bypass, open heart surgery.
Being a healthcare provider in the Lowcountry for many years, the first thing I did was call as many doctors as I could in the area to see who they would recommend. Time and again, Memorial Health was named as the place to go, and Dr. Chad Stouffer was the doctor to see. It was the best decision I could have made!
From the time I arrived at the cardiovascular floor, I could sense the level of care I was going to receive. I have worked in hospitals for many years and had high expectations of how a patient should be cared for. Memorial Health delivered on all accounts.
I witnessed a level of professionalism and empathy at every level. If I needed to call for a nurse, I never had to wait more then a few minutes before someone arrived to help or tell me when they would be able to be there for me. If I had my blood drawn, or a test done, or simply my room cleaned, I was always greeted with a smile (through a mask), and an effort to make sure I was comfortable before they left. I was so impressed how everyone made the effort to encourage me, ease my fears, and truly want to get to know me. I was a person they wanted to help, not a patient simply occupying a room. Professionally, I was constantly informed on how I was doing and what the next steps were going to be, both before and after my surgery. Dr. Stouffer and the surgery team made sure I understood what was going to happen and what I should expect afterwards. Looking back, I should have been apprehensive going into a major surgery but because of the professionalism I was receiving from those who were taking care of me, I felt completely confident that I was going to come out this okay.
After surgery, I continued to see the empathy, compassion, and competence from every member of the care team. There was an inherent focus and attention to details to ensure my recovery. This was evident from the time I was in the ICU to the day I left. The nurses taking care of me were always on guard to make sure I was okay and that I came out of surgery “Like a Rockstar” as they put it. The support team at Memorial made sure I left the hospital totally prepared for home. The Memorial team made sure the medications I needed were ready at the pharmacy, the home health services were scheduled to visit the day after I was discharged, and my follow-up appointments with the doctors were made.
Quite simply, the Memorial Health team made me feel like a “Rockstar” and months later, my attitude hasn't changed thanks to their care. I am a healthy, active person who was shocked by an out-of-the-blue heart attack. Even after it happened, I never expected I would need a quintuple bypass surgery. I truly want to thank everyone at Memorial Health for all the care I received. Because of them, I feel as healthy and as active as I was before, but now have the opportunity to be even better then I was before.
I also want to make a plea to all those other healthy, active men and women out there: Please listen to your body. Learn the symptoms of a heart attack. If you ever have any of the symptoms I had; shortness of breath, chest tightness, increased sweating, jaw pain, left upper arm pain, get yourself to a hospital. If you ask my opinion, your best choice is Memorial Health.