‘I consider them miracle workers’: How this man was saved after a heart attack

An elephant did not sit on his chest. His left arm didn’t tingle with numbness. The only discomfort lingered around his collarbone.

It also became more difficult to breathe than normal.

Although Brad Davis didn’t immediately recognize that he was having a heart attack, the nurse at his workplace did. He even hooked him up to an EKG to confirm it. Most importantly, he called for an ambulance to rush him to Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center (EIRMC).

EIRMC cardiac care strives to speedily heal hearts

Nationally recognized for quality cardiac care, EIRMC is a Level I STEMI Center, designated by the Idaho Time Sensitive Emergency System, and a Chest Pain Center, designated by the American College of Cardiology.

At EIRMC, the cardiac team identified a complete blockage in Brad’s left anterior descending (LAD) artery, the heart’s biggest artery. Quickly, the expert cardiac team placed a stent to open the blockage and restore proper blood flow. Thankfully, Brad survived the widowmaker, but the trauma left a small, damaged area called an aneurysm on the heart.

“From what I understood, the aneurysm was less than a centimeter long and mostly likely would heal on its own, but the specialists said they’d keep an eye on it,” Brad said.

For a month, all was well. Then, Brad began experiencing chest pressure when he’d sit or lie down.

“The only way I could get comfortable was if I stood up … At night I’d only catch a half hour of sleep here and there before I’d need to stand up again,” Brad said.

Though Brad dragged his heels about talking with a doctor, his wife wisely told Brad he needed immediate medical attention. So, back to EIRMC they went.

“In the ER, they put on an echocardiogram and found that my aneurysm had grown from less than 1 cm to more than 7.5 cm. It was huge! We weren’t expecting that!”

When the unexpected happens, EIRMC provides top-quality heart care close to home

Brad needed a lifesaving procedure to repair his heart’s ventricles and improve his heart’s blood-pumping functions. Though the surgery came with high risks and high stakes, having it at EIRMC’s cardiac center meant receiving quality care from highly trained medical professionals.

“They explained everything so well — and they didn’t sugarcoat it. They told me the seriousness of my situation, and said that if worst came to worst, I’d end up with a mechanical heart pump until I could get a heart transplant … but Dr. Joyce also said he hoped they’d be able to repair my heart during surgery. They were confident, but not cocky, and I had great confidence in their ability,” Brad said. “I believed I was in good hands.”

During the critical and complicated surgery, cardiac surgeon Dr. David Joyce of East Falls Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery led a team of surgeons and specialists, which included Dr. Joyce’s father. Together, they successfully closed Brad’s massive aneurysm, restoring the heart’s blood-pumping function and saving Brad’s life.

“Having had the benefit of working side by side during the past ten years as father and son has given us extraordinary advantages when it comes to high-risk, complex cases like this one,” Dr. David Joyce said. “The other important point that needs to be included is the courage that it took for Brad to place his life in our team’s hands, as well as the determination and tenacity that were required for him to have such a rapid recovery. He is an extraordinary individual, and everyone on our team was inspired by his resilience during this life-and-death experience.”

Such admiration points in both directions. While Dr. Joyce recognizes Brad’s courage, Brad knows he wouldn’t have had the courage to face such a surgery without EIRMC’s compassionate and extremely qualified surgical team.

“I consider it a miracle — what he did and how he did it. From my understanding, this was a very rare thing, and the results were successful. I consider them miracle workers, and I just feel so blessed to be alive!” Brad said.

About a month after Brad’s ventricle restoration surgery, he also received a pacemaker to reestablish his heart’s proper rhythm. Through every step in his care — the stent to treat his heart attack, the complex ventricle repair, and the pacemaker — Brad says he’s received top-notch cardiac treatment at EIRMC.

“I never knew EIRMC had such high quality of heart care — I guess I never needed to know that before. The only thing I wish would have been different is that, of course, it never had to happen. … But now I have more faith in EIRMC than ever before. I’m still just amazed and totally impressed,” Brad said.