Each year, about a million people in the U.S. suffer from pulmonary embolism (PE), with symptoms ranging from mild to severe. Evelyn Henry recounts her harrowing experience, from the initial struggle to breathe to the miraculous intervention that saved her life.
"I wasn't feeling well all day and I felt like I couldn't breathe," Evelyn recalled.
At Northside Hospital Heart Institute, Evelyn became the first patient to benefit from the newly established extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation (ECPR) process, which integrates ECMO during emergency CPR.
"Within a couple of days, she was off ECMO and she was talking to us," Dr. Fredy El Sakr explained, highlighting the extraordinary efforts of the multidisciplinary team.
Evelyn’s care highlights the collaborative efforts of a multidisciplinary team, including pharmacists, physicians, nurses, respiratory therapists and speech pathologists, all dedicated to providing exceptional care.
Evelyn's story underscores the importance of heeding medical advice and following prescribed treatments for a faster and smoother recovery. And it is a testament to the compassionate and comprehensive care provided by the Northside Hospital Heart Institute.
Watch Evelyn's story here.
Learn more about the Northside Hospital Heart Institute.
