Emergency care you can trust In a medical emergency, you want help you can trust. As part of the OHSU Health partnership, Adventist Health Portland’s emergency room is staffed by OHSU doctors, physician assistants and nurse practitioners who specialize in emergency medicine. These providers work as an integrated team with Adventist Health Portland nurses, technologists, support staff and others to provide the best care as quickly as possible. Craig glanced around the room and spotted a familiar face: his cousin Bill, who had picked him up at the airport. As they talked, one thing became clear: Bill’s decisive action began a chain of heroic steps that saved Craig’s life. Lifesaving care “It’s a good thing Bill picked me up, because he’s retired military and knows CPR,” Craig says. “He pulled me out of the car, started CPR and called 911.” Airport police quickly drove up and kept CPR going until paramedics arrived. Finally, nearly an hour after Craig’s heart stopped beating, two defibrillator shocks restarted it. Lights ablaze, the ambulance rushed him to the hospital. Fortunately for Craig, he was en route to Adventist Health Portland, one of just 50 hospitals in the nation contributing data to a national clinical trial. The ICECAP study, short for “Influence of Cooling Duration on Efficacy in Cardiac Arrest Patients,” aims to identify the best length of time to cool a patient’s body with ice packs, a machine that cools the blood, or a combination. Cooling treatment can slow damaging elements from reaching the blood, help protect the brain, and enhance overall recovery. In Craig’s case, the treatment lasted three days, during which he was peacefully unaware. When he woke up and saw the nurse and his cousin, his memory came back, and tests showed that his brain was working well. A few days later, before returning home, Craig had surgery to implant a small, battery-powered device called an internal cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) in his chest. The device monitors his heartbeat and, if needed, delivers electric shocks to restore a regular rhythm. Craig returned to Adventist Health Portland several months later for another operation. Cardiothoracic surgeon Michael Kilbourne, MD, performed a triple coronary artery bypass graft, or “CABG times three,” as Craig calls it. That procedure improves blood flow to the heart by using healthy blood vessels from other areas in the body and connecting them above and below blocked coronary arteries. Rehab and rebuilding Craig still needed some care after surgery, so Adventist Health Portland’s Home Health team visited him regularly for a couple of months, assessing his recovery. He later completed a cardiac rehab program at the hospital, going in twice weekly and doing specific exercises. At last, the day came when Craig’s cardiologist cleared him for travel. Craig flew to Las Vegas, attended a conference, where he walked 10 miles a day, and returned home feeling fine. Today, he stays busy with computer projects, working in the yard and tending his fruit trees. He even delivered a bag of apples to rehab team members, whom he now also considers friends. One of the staff used them to make applesauce and shared some with Craig at his next rehab visit. “I’m just so thankful,” Craig says. “The exceptional treatment I received saved and restored my life.” Craig Gleason surprises his cardiac rehab team with a bag of homegrown apples. Maylin, RN, center, used the fruit to make applesauce and shared some with Craig at his next visit. AdventistHealthPortland.org 5
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