Patient Stories

Keith Sayne

Heart surgery close to home — and work

Keith and Marla Sayne got good news and bad news after undergoing heart CT scans at Reid Hospital in March 2011. The good news: Marla’s score was a “zero,” indicating a low risk of having or developing heart disease. The bad news? Keith’s score: 1,389.
 
“My sister is a nurse at Reid, and she went ballistic when she heard my test results,” says Keith, 55, who works at Reid as a locksmith. “She told me I had to see a cardiologist right away, and my family doctor agreed. He said that any score over 600 puts you in the high-risk category.”
 
Keith made an appointment with Dr. Jithendra Choudary, an interventional cardiologist at Reid, who performed a cardiac catheterization. The test revealed several blockages in Keith’s arteries, including six in the left anterior descending artery – otherwise known as “the widowmaker.” Dr. E. Paul Howanitz, Reid’s chief cardiothoracic surgeon, recommended bypass surgery. He performed the procedure, which involved a total of
four bypasses on four different arteries, five days later.
 
Keith was impressed with the care he received at Reid. “People don’t realize how good the Reid Heart Center has become over the years,” says Keith. “I would put it up against any heart program. There’s expertise for sure, but there’s also caring. My first night in the hospital, Dr. Howanitz called the nurses at midnight to check on me, and one nurse actually sat outside my room until the morning, ready to help me if I needed anything.”
 
Keith participated in outpatient cardiac rehab for 12 weeks at Reid and returned to work in July. Today, he exercises regularly and is noticing an increase in energy and his overall health. “People asked me, ‘why didn’t you go to Indianapolis for your surgery?’” Keith says. “I tell them, I trust the people at Reid. The care they gave me was second to none.”

For more information about the Reid Heart and Vascular Center, call (765) 983-3255. To schedule a Reid Heart Scan, call Reid Central Scheduling at (765) 983-3358.

Heart CT scans can be a lifesaver

The Heart CT Scan is a painless, 15-minute procedure that uses computed tomography (CT) scanning to identify calcium buildup in the heart’s arteries. A high score can indicate the presence or risk of heart disease. Many people with heart disease do not experience symptoms until significant damage has already been done to their heart. Early detection is critical! When heart disease is diagnosed in its earliest stages, aggressive action and treatments can help prolong life.