St. Vincent Patient Thankful For His Life And Family This Holiday Season

St. Vincent Patient Thankful For His Life And Family This Holiday Season

It was June 1 and the first day of Jon’s vacation. With his daughter recently graduating from high school and his son moving to California for his first job out of college, Jon thought this may be the last vacation that included the whole family.

Before hitting the road, Jon decided to take a run. Running and biking is something Jon does regularly to help him stay fit and because he enjoys it. On this day Jon ran about 17 miles, but when he got home he began to feel light headed and had some mild discomfort in his chest. Eventually, Jon blacked out and his wife rushed him to the St. Vincent emergency room.

Jon’s wife explained to the staff that he was light-headed and had passed out at home. Jon added that he was also experiencing some light chest pains, which immediately alarmed the staff. Within two minutes of checking in he was hooked up to the EKG machine and within 14 minutes he was in the Cath Lab for more tests.

Dr. Jarrod Frizzell, Interventional Cardiologist with St. Vincent Medical Cardiology, treated Jon during his time in the hospital. He was also the person who shared the news with Jon and his family that he had suffered a mild heart attack.

Thankfully, Jon was released from the hospital within two days. Dr. Frizzell also recommended three days of cardiac rehab. After completing rehab, Jon was able to return to work and all of his normal activities.

Jon says, “People tell me all the time that I’m one of the luckiest heart attack survivors they know and I couldn’t agree more.”

Dr. Frizell added, “It doesn’t matter if you’re an accomplished pediatrician. It doesn’t matter if you’re someone that has trouble finding a place to sleep at night. We want people to be the best person they can be, and we don’t want their health to hold them back – especially their heart health.”

Although Jon and his family had to cancel their vacation plans this summer, it still ended up being a great week. Jon had survived his heart attack and he’s alive today to share another Thanksgiving holiday with his family.