Cardiac Advances Allow Area Man to Watch His Own Stent Procedure in Real Time
Tim and Lib Granzeau consider the people at Memorial Medical Center (MMC) family. And for good reason.
In January, the pair celebrated the one-year anniversary of Tim’s cardiac procedure at MMC, which utilized a nationally groundbreaking stent procedure led by then SIU cardiologist Giselle Baquaro, MD, who now practices at the Queen’s Medical Center, University of Hawaii.
Tim had two stents in November 2018. A year later, Dr. Baquaro recommended the Watchman, which would greatly reduce the occurrence of clots. The Watchman was placed – using only local lidocaine – during a four-hour long catheterization. Tim’s favorite bossa nova music played in the background, and he was able to watch the whole procedure – during the procedure – on a screen in MMC’s Cath Lab.
“This was a most astonishing medical procedure,” Tim said. “It was incredible watching on the screen. The procedure was the most intellectually stimulating experience in my memory.”
The procedure was a success. Recovery took only a few minutes, and it inspired Tim to learn more about similar procedures done in the United Kingdom. He praised the efforts of the people who assisted throughout his stay.
“Kindness is the word that describes employees from Memorial,” Tim said. “From the parking valets to the RNs to the techs to the volunteers who prayed with Lib in the waiting room – you can’t put kindness in a job description. It’s just the quality of the people Memorial hires.”
He enhanced his recovery by completing Phase II Cardiac Rehab and now participates in Memorial’s Cardiopulmonary Rehab Phase III Maintenance program at the Gus and Flora Kerasotes YMCA.
Today, Tim is savoring special events and the little things in life. Both he and Lib are grateful for the gift of additional time together.
“Memorial cares about people’s lives,” Lib said. “They want you to get better and go back to your life. We are so thankful!”
To learn more, visit Memorial’s Heart and Vascular Services.
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