Author: Leslie Toldo
Shane Miller has never been one to take chances with his heart.
“I have a family history of heart disease,” Shane said. “I’ve been struggling with high blood pressure and cholesterol.”
So, when Shane, who is a pastor, noticed he was a lot more tired than usual, he paid his doctor a visit. The doctor immediately referred Shane to a cardiologist who ran several tests.
“I didn’t do well on the stress test,” Shane said. “They told me I needed stents in my heart, but when I got out of the cath lab I found out I had four 90 percent blockages and needed quadruple bypass surgery.”
It was a scary time, but the loving father and grandfather had faith and family to help him through.
“I trust in the providence of God. I was thankful it was caught before I had a heart attack,” Shane said. “I want to have a healthy life with my children and grandchildren.”
Shane also found strength in knowing his heart was in the right hands.
“When I met with Dr. Omar Habib and his nurses, I felt I could trust in him and his reputation. I appreciated Habib’s care and confidence,” said Shane.
One thing that helped break the ice at that first meeting- the cardiothoracic surgeon understood the stress Shane was experiencing.
“I knew it had to be overwhelming for a patient to go from expecting a non-invasive cath lab procedure to hearing they need open-heart surgery,” said Dr. Habib, a board-certified cardiothoracic surgeon. “But, when I met with Shane, like with all of my patients, I made sure to explain what to expect after the surgery, and to answer all of his questions.”
He knew he had the right surgeon, and Shane quickly discovered Dr. Habib is backed by a team ready to handle every aspect of his care.
“What I found out was the surgeon is the most important person in surgery, but the nurses in the cardiac and intensive care units are the ones who were most important in my recovery,” Shane said. “The entire heart team has been awesome.”
Shane has come to learn that another key component of McLaren Flint’s full-service heart program is the cardiac rehab staff.
“I initially wasn’t looking forward to the rehab part of this journey, but it is going great,” said Shane. “The biggest surprise is how well the rehab team is connected to the surgical team. All the members of the rehab team work so closely together to take care of all the patients. I had concerns about exercising, and they were very helpful with that.”
Rehab also offers a variety of classes that have helped Shane learn about every aspect of his heart health.
“They have classes that are so informative, that helped me so much and gave me so much information about diet, medications, and exercise,” Shane said. “I even learned more about what happened during my surgery.”
As Shane settles back into life after open-heart surgery, he is thankful for the miracles and medical marvels that saved his life and gave him more time with the family he loves.
“Our kids come to visit, and I am also up for away trips to see my kids. I can get on the floor and play with my grandkids and take them to the park,” Shane said. “I am thankful for God’s grace to make the time with family even better than it was before this surgery.”
To learn more about what the McLaren cardiac care team has to offer, visit www.mclaren.org/flintheart.