Advanced Cardiac Care Offers Relief Close to Home

Linda Brown wasn’t sleeping. At night, her heart would race unpredictably, speeding up and slowing down without warning. She would lie awake, anxious and unsure. This went on for months while she waited for a referral to a cardiac specialist.

The 74-year-old retired Decatur teacher had dealt with atrial fibrillation for years and had previously undergone cardioversions to reset her heart rhythm. She even had an emergency cardioversion while vacationing in Florida. After returning home, she received care locally, but when her provider left, she struggled to find timely treatment.

“I was living with an irregular heartbeat,” Linda said. “My heart rate would go up and down, and it was very frustrating. I was full of anxiety, not knowing when I would be able to get help.”

When she learned about Bernard Lim, MD, with Memorial Specialty Care Cardiology, she called right away. Dr. Lim is a cardiac electrophysiologist who specializes in diagnosing and treating heart rhythm disorders like AFib. Electrophysiology focuses on the electrical system of the heart and how to correct irregular rhythms.

From their very first conversation, Linda felt confident in her care.

“He is very thorough in explaining what will happen. He listens to your concerns,” she said. “I was very impressed with him. And I felt very confident talking with him.”

To treat Linda’s AFib, Dr. Lim recommended a catheter ablation, a minimally invasive procedure that targets small areas of heart tissue causing irregular electrical signals. By carefully treating those spots, physicians can restore a more normal heart rhythm.

After her procedure, Dr. Lim showed Linda something she had never seen before. It was a detailed, 3-D image of her heart. Using advanced mapping technology, he was able to identify and treat multiple problem areas with precision.

“He had a picture of my heart, literally all the places he had to zap,” Linda said. “It was amazing to see where my problems were and what he had done.”

For Linda, the experience reflected a high level of cardiac care available right in her own community.

“It was revolutionary,” she said. “No one had ever heard of it before. I was really pleased he was able to use that new technology.”

She remained in close contact with the Memorial Specialty Care Cardiology team, including staff members who promptly returned her calls and answered her questions.

“I can’t say enough about his team,” she said. “They are all caring and concerned. I knew if I called, I would get a call back.”

Later, when Linda experienced side effects from blood thinners, Dr. Lim offered another option. He implanted a small monitoring device that tracks her heart rhythm and alerts her care team if AFib returns. The device gave Linda peace of mind and allowed her to safely stop taking blood thinners.

Looking back, Linda is grateful and relieved she didn’t have to leave Decatur for the care she needed.

“I was almost ready to go back to Florida,” she said. “But I didn’t have to. I was so happy.”