House Call - Summer 2012 - (Page 6)

Heart Take It to Every second counted in Midland Memorial’s dramatic race to save a man from a near-fatal heart attack O n an idyllic day Oct. 7, 2011, Raﬁ and Silvia Matti looked forward to a sunny and fun-ﬁlled week vacationing in the Mexican resort town Cabo San Lucas. With pristine sandy beaches, warm waters and ﬁvestar resorts, Cabo seemed like the perfect getaway for the couple from a Toronto suburb—until pain gripped 40-yearold Raﬁ ’s chest like a vice. The stabbing sensation was so sharp “it felt like someone was poking me with a needle,” he says. “I knew I was having a heart attack.” Raﬁ, who desperately sought help at three hospitals during the week, was sent away with only a prescription for gastritis. After a week of vacation, Raﬁ could hardly wait to get home so he could go to the emergency room. On the plane ﬂying home, he broke into a sweat as crippling pain clenched his chest. Seeing the agony on her husband’s face, Silvia sought help from a ﬂight attendant, who placed an oxygen mask over his nose and a damp cloth on his forehead before she went on the intercom to ask whether a doctor was on board. A doctor came to Raﬁ ’s aid, and when he learned Raﬁ ’s pain now radiated down one arm, he said, “We have to land this plane right now! He’s having a heart attack!” The Need for Speed An emergency landing brought Silvia and Raﬁ Matti to Midland when Raﬁ had a heart attack during their trip home from Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. As the plane taxied down the runway at Midland International Airport, paramedics waited for Raﬁ with an ambulance, which would rush him to Midland Memorial Hospital. As the recipient of the coveted ACTION Registry®-GTWG™ Gold Award from the American College of Cardiology Foundation, Midland has received national recognition for its commitment and success in implementing a higher standard of care for heart attack patients. But before Raﬁ got to the hospital, his heart developed a deadly rhythm called ventricular ﬁbrillation, which paramedics treated by delivering quick 6 Midland Memorial Hospital • midland-memorial.com http://www.midland-memorial.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of House Call - Summer 2012

House Call - Summer 2012
Highlights of Our Annual Report
Health Tips for Dads and Kids
A Happy Landing

House Call - Summer 2012