After My Husband’s Heart Attack, I’m Even More Proud to Wear the Emory Badge

My husband, Dana, had a major heart attack when he was in a bucket truck, 100 feet up in the air, using a chainsaw to cut down tree limbs. He called me as he and his coworker, Jonathan, were on their way to Chatuge Regional Hospital in Hiawassee, Georgia. It was 9:38 a.m. on February 28, 2025.

I’m a nurse manager at Emory Heart & Vascular in Hiawassee, where I see heart patients every single day. I jumped into action, running out the clinic’s back door where I bumped into my colleague Greg Robertson, MD, an interventional cardiologist at Emory Healthcare who sees patients once a month in our Hiawassee clinic. I filled Dr. Robertson in quickly before jumping into my car and speeding away to the local emergency department.

Dana was walking into the hospital and sweating profusely when I saw him. Everyone in the emergency department moved quickly to help, but it felt like an eternity as I followed Dana and the care team back to the treatment area. Jonathan practically had to restrain me from jumping in to start Dana’s intravenous line myself.

A nurse connected Dana to an electrocardiogram machine. I could tell his EKG readings were bad, but I didn’t know how bad. Later, I learned Dana had 100% blockage in his left anterior descending artery. He was having a type of heart attack doctors call “the widow maker” because it’s associated with a high risk of death.

The emergency department doctor called Dr. Robertson as soon as he saw the EKG. From that moment on, Dr. Robertson arranged everything. He contacted the nearest Emory hospital—80 miles south in Johns Creek—and told them Dana was coming. He explained they should take Dana directly to the heart catheterization lab for treatment and hold a cardiac ICU bed for him.

The care team loaded Dana into a helicopter and I kissed him goodbye before getting behind the wheel of my car again. The drive to Emory Johns Creek Hospital typically takes almost two hours, but I was there in an hour and 10 minutes—crying and praying the whole time.

Meanwhile, Dr. Robertson stayed on top of everything and kept me in the loop. While I raced toward Johns Creek, he called me several times from the Hiawassee clinic to fill me in. During our last call, he explained that an interventional cardiologist would place a stent in Dana’s blocked artery to open it up. Dana also had a 90% blockage in another artery that would require a second stent in two days’ time.

When I pulled into the parking deck Celeste, a friend and fellow nurse manager, met me at my car—it was such a relief to see her.

Dana was already out of the cath lab, but I waited with Celeste and others before I got the OK to see him. When I walked in, he looked shocked and the first thing he said was, “How did you get here so fast?” I laughed and replied, “Don’t ask.”

It took a while for the care team to stabilize Dana, which is typical after a cath procedure. His blood pressure was all over the place, and he was having irregular heart rhythms.

The ICU doctors, advanced practice providers and nurses were incredibly attentive, compassionate and skilled. As an Emory nurse, it was surreal to be on the other side of this experience—relying on the clinical team to help my family. A little part of me wondered if Dana was getting special treatment since I’m an employee. But I know that excellence is the standard of care for every patient at Emory.

Before all this happened, it would have been hard to imagine Dana having a heart attack. He’s very athletic and he owns a business where he is active and outdoors. The week before, he’d been hogging in Alabama, running through swamps in muck boots. But he did have risk factors: high cholesterol since his mid-20s, high blood pressure and extra weight.

In the months before his heart attack, Dana had been on medication to control his blood pressure. Unfortunately, his body doesn’t respond well to statin medicine, which is the standard treatment for high cholesterol. Earlier in 2025, we switched his care to Emory Heart & Vascular Hiawassee. Dana’s provider had just started him on a new type of medicine, and his numbers were improving. But the heart attack happened before we could see the full benefits.

Dana came home three days after his heart attack, and my nursing background kicked in immediately. I created logs to track his vital signs, set up pill organizers and scheduled his cardiac rehab appointments. Sometimes I micromanaged—after all, caring for heart patients is my job, and this patient was personal. Dana finally told me to calm down, saying, “I’m 47 years old, I can be my own advocate!”

Recovery has been difficult for both of us, especially Dana. It took time for him to get past the “I can’t believe this has happened to me” phase and accept that life will be different now.

We were thankful for encouraging news at Dana’s three-month cardiology appointment: imaging tests showed that his heart didn’t sustain permanent damage from the heart attack. Even so, he must take heart medicine and watch his diet and stress levels more closely from now on.

Dana returned to work about two months after his surgery and is slowly getting back to all the activities he enjoys, like gardening and working on house projects. He’s excited to play pickleball this summer and hunt in the fall.

What I’ve Learned from my Husband’s Heart Attack

 Our experience has reinforced what I already knew as a health care professional, but now understand personally:

• Don’t ignore warning signs. Dana had a bout with chest pain two days before his heart attack, but didn’t tell me about it until later. I wonder if he could have avoided the big heart attack if he’d sought care earlier.
  
  
• Take care of yourself. I wish we had pushed a little harder to get Dana’s blood pressure under control before switching his care to the Hiawassee clinic just before his heart attack. We might have found an effective medicine sooner.
  
  
• Find a care team you trust. The way Emory’s system worked together—from the cath lab at Johns Creek to the Hiawassee clinic—saved my husband’s life. I’m also grateful to the Chatuge Regional Hospital emergency department staff for their quick action and expertise.
  
  
• Be patient. Recovery—both emotional and physical—takes time. Surround yourself with people who care about you, follow your care team’s guidance and keep moving forward.

I joined Emory as an employee in July 2024 with 17 years of experience in nursing. Being on the “other side” of a medical emergency has only deepened my respect for the organization.

Dr. Robertson showed Dana and me ongoing compassion and kindness, and he was engaged and present when Dana needed careful monitoring and care during his hospital stay at Emory Johns Creek Hospital.

I also deeply respect the entire heart and vascular team at Emory Johns Creek Hospital. They made a huge impact on our lives. After we returned home, the Hiawassee clinic team took over Dana’s care. They have gone above and beyond to restore his health.

I am very proud to work for Emory Healthcare and consider it a true honor to wear the Emory badge!