Rudy Swafford: Heart Patient

Rudy woke up knowing something was not right but wasn’t sure what was wrong. He went to the Starr Regional Medical Center Emergency Department in Athens where he shared with the registration clerk that he was experiencing pain in his arm, chest and back.

“The young lady said, ‘let’s go.’ She immediately took me back to the emergency room. The next thing I know, I’m on a table and one nurse is doing an EKG and the other is putting in an IV. That’s the last thing I remember. When I came to, I was fighting the doctor and the nurse who was doing CPR. The doctor said to me, ‘you’ve had a major heart attack.’”

Rudy was transferred to a regional facility where he received two stents. After returning home, he enrolled in the cardiac rehabilitation program where he has regained his strength to return to the activities he enjoys.

“I feel like I’m back to where I was before my heart attack. I feel good. I mowed three lawns last week. I enjoy mowing the lawn if I have a good mower, and I do. It’s great to be alive.”

Rudy's advice for anyone experiencing chest pain is, "Don't hesitate. Go to the ER immediately. I have heard bad things about the ER at Athens, but you won’t get me to say anything bad about the ER at Athens because they were all wonderful. I couldn't have asked for better care than what I got. It wasn't because they knew me, it was because they cared. And thank goodness they did!"

He also encourages those who have had a heart attack to enroll in Starr Regional's Cardiac Rehabilitation program. "Go to cardiac rehab. It has improved my physical and mental condition. Every one of the employees here are wonderful."

In addition to changes to his mental and physical well-being, Rudy’s experience has strengthened his faith in God. “I'm not afraid to ask anybody [about their faith]. I've asked more people since my heart attack than I have my prior whole life. The good Lord left me here for some reason. I don’t know why, but I’m trying to find out.”

How's your heart health? Take a free heart health assessment and learn more about the services we provide to care for your heart: Cardiovascular Services.

If you are experiencing symptoms of a heart attack, call 9-1-1 immediately!