When you have a history of cardiac problems, it’s best to keep in touch with a medical team to catch any issues as they develop. Roger Kenyon, a retired law enforcement officer, was fortunate to follow this principle, He credits Gritman Registered Nurse Holly Hall with saving his life.
Kenyon previously had two coronary stents (tiny, expandable wire mesh tubes used to prop open narrowed arteries) installed due to heart disease. But after suffering chest pains while hiking, Kenyon’s doctor referred him for a nuclear heart perfusion test, including an EKG, or electrocardiogram. There were medical facilities closer to Kenyon’s home in Grangeville, “but I’d heard good things about Gritman Medical Center, so that’s where I went.”
For Kenyon’s test, a small amount of radioactive tracer was injected into Kenyon’s bloodstream and a scanner was used to monitor the cardiac blood flow while Kenyon was at rest. Hall then connected sensors to his chest and placed him on a treadmill to see how his heart reacted to exertion.
“During my test,” Kenyon said, “Holly became very concerned and had me stop.” Hall, Registered Nurse in Radiology and Clinical Coordinator of Gritman’s Medical/Surgical Unit and Critical Care Unit, was watching his exertion readings on a monitor. She noticed worrisome changes to parts of his heart that previously had blockages. His blood pressure also spiked. She immediately called the Kootenai Health cardiac department.
Gritman partners with Kootenai Heart Clinics on cardiac cases because of the organization’s advanced expertise. “While she waited for a return call,” Kenyon said, “she immediately went to forward the results of my test to Kootenai.” To be sure that Kenyon’s tests were evaluated as soon as possible, Holly called Kootenai back to stress the importance of his case.
Holly Hall, RN
Kenyon decided to spend the night in Moscow while awaiting final results. But elevated blood pressure and chest pain during dinner prompted him to go to the Gritman Emergency Department. At 2 a.m., he began a 15-minute trip on a Life Flight ambulance helicopter to Coeur d’Alene. Clinical teams at Kootenai determined that one of his two stents was 90% blocked. Kenyon underwent minimally invasive surgery for angioplasty and stent placement with Dr. Eric Wallace of Kootenai Heart Clinics.
After surgery, Kenyon asked how quickly he could resume his active lifestyle. The doctor told Kenyon, “you can start hiking today.”
Kenyon has high praise for Gritman staff and the air ambulance crew. He was especially grateful to Hall. “The concern and effort Holly put forth for me went above and beyond!” Kenyon said. “I felt her advocacy for me was a real credit to her oath and profession.”
Gritman Medical Center leads the region with its state-of-the-art Diagnostic Imaging department. Cardiac patients can use Gritman’s Cardiac and Pulmonary Rehabilitation to reduce their risk of future heart problems.
Kootenai Heart Clinics has a clinic at 2301 W. A St., where local residents can schedule an appointment with a board-certified cardiologist.
Learn more about Gritman’s heart health options at gritman.org/healthyheart.
