I had open heart surgery at another facility. Everything went well, and post-op my doctor referred me to IRMC’s Cardiac Rehab Program. In the weeks prior to starting the program, I started having small issues with trying to catch my breath and chest congestion.

I followed up with my surgeon for my routine post-op appointment. He started me on Lasix, and I thought I was feeling the way I was supposed to feel. 

Three days later, I went to my first Cardiac Rehab appt and met with Kelly. I had developed this nagging cough and kept trying to hide it from Kelly while at my appointment. Kelly was very kind, professional, and informative while explaining the Cardiac Rehab program. I kept listening while trying to hold in this nagging cough.

Kelly kept watching me and then said, “How are you feeling, Mr. P?” I told her that I felt fine and then she asked if she could call my doctor while I sat there reviewing some papers.

When Kelly got off the phone with the doctor, she came smiling to me with a wheelchair. She told me that she and the doctor both felt I needed to go to the ER to be seen. I ended up being admitted for 3 days with congestive heart failure. On the day of my discharge, Kelly came up to visit me in the hospital. That was just another way to show she truly cares about her patients.

I’m happy to report that I am now doing great, and I’m back in the Cardiac Rehab program. Kelly was a blessing to call the doctor on my behalf when I didn’t know anything was seriously wrong. As a patient, you don’t know how you’re supposed to feel, and I thought this was part of feeling run down after surgery.

My wife and I feel that Kelly saved my life by getting me admitted to the hospital. If I hadn’t gone to my Cardiac Rehab appt that day, I would have continued to stay at home, and who knows what the outcome would have been. In my opinion, Kelly deserves this award and any other award she can receive.