ken lehmann survivor story a note from the president · 2020-01-22 · vincent parlato double ypass...
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providing comfort and support to resume everyday activities and maintain a lifestyle of good health
JANUARY 2019 CIRCULATION OVER 2000
Happy January! The
officers and board of
directors hope that
you all had a
wonderful holiday
season. We also
hope that like us,
you are looking forward to good things
to come in 2019.
In December, a couple of significant
events occurred. Ruth Hennessy, Chief
Administrative Officer of St. Francis
Hospital is taking over the leadership of
Good Samaritan Hospital in West Islip
on December 4th. St. Francis has a new
President, Dr. Charles Lucore. Dr.
Lucore is a cardiologist and comes to us
from Chicago where he ran a large
hospital. We wish them both much luck
and success in their new positions.
Sometime in the spring BraveHearts
will interview Dr. Lucore and tell you
more about him.
I would be remiss in not extending our
thanks to Mary Lou Murphy and Jay
Caruso from
A note from the President
Bravehearts Newsletter
Inside this Issue
Heartline………....….. Winter Safety Tips..... Where in the World....
P2 P4 P7
My story starts in March, 2008, while I was in the process of
securing clearance for a hernia repair. I went for a routine stress
test. I knew something was amiss when they told me to remain in
the waiting room after the test was completed. After what felt like
a prolonged wait I was told to go home, pack my toothbrush and
prayer book and take a ride to St. Francis Hospital for an
angiogram.
Based on the recommendation of my daughter Donna (an RN at St.
Francis) the angiogram was done by Dr. Theofanis Tsiamtsiouris
(Dr. Theo). The result of the angio had me being prepped for the
OR. Under the expertise of Dr. James Taylor, a double by-pass,
thoracic aorta aneurysm repair and a mechanical aortic valve
replacement were performed. I was started on Coumadin and six
months later began rehabilitation at the DeMatteis Center.
All was well and in February, 2009; I finally got clearance to have a
left inguinal hernia repaired.
The surgery, performed by
Dr. Lewis Kurtz, was a walk
in the park compared to
open heart surgery. It was
necessary, of course, to
suspend my cardiac rehab
for a couple of months.
In August 2009, I was
walking up the hill to the
DeMatteis Center and felt
shortness of breath. I was
also told that I looked
(continued on page 2)
Ken Lehmann —Survivor Story
(continued on page 3)
Bravehearts Newsletter Page 2
Brooklyn &
Queens
Arthur R. Louise Quintuple Bypass 718-217-1297
Ken Luft Quintuple Bypass 917-627-6768
Vincent Parlato Double Bypass 718-833-8535
Nassau County
Donna Datre Mother of child with Atrial Septal Defect 516-396-0947
Charles Dombroff Triple Bypass 516-766-2636
Geoffrey Fenwick Double Bypass 516-293-2269
Howard Fisher Quadruple Bypass 917-880-8861
Earl Johnson Quadruple Bypass (off pump) 516-742-3263
Alan Karp Quintuple Bypass 516-681-2845
Donna Killough Mother of Child with Double Outlet Right Ventricle 516-674-0661
Carmen Santosus Double Bypass 516-676-8474
Suffolk County
Susan Eckers Triple Bypass & Angioplasty 631-368-0836
Alfred A. Hulse Quadruple Bypass 631-271-5323
John-Paul LaMothe Aortic Valve Replacement 631-897-2915
Gregory Ogeka Quadruple Bypass 631-878-0897
Kate Weibelt Mother of boy with Narrowed Aortic Valve PDA 631-246-5708
Eleanore L Christie Quadruple Bypass & Aortic Valve Replaced 631-226-1921
Gary Shafonda Quadruple Bypass 631-728-6682
HEARTLINE
Life in the Cardiac Rehab A note from the President
***Feel free to call any of these members to talk to someone who has traveled the same road as you***
the hospital’s Office of Development and Public Affairs. Their assistance and support makes my job much easier.
Unfortunately we had to cancel our planned trip to the Hunterdon Playhouse in December. It did not appear that
we would have enough registrants to make the trip happen. We probably should have scheduled something a little
further away from Christmas. Doris Letendre, our trip coordinator, and the board are working on a slate of events
to make 2019 an interesting and exciting year.
January celebrates the arrival of the Magi in Bethlehem. It also celebrates the life and achievements of Dr. Martin
Luther King Jr. We should all take a few moments to contemplate his accomplishments. You will note that our
quote of the month comes from Dr. King.
January brings the start of the serious snow season. PLEASE be careful both in moving about and in dealing with
the snow. Remember we are all here with our second chance at life so don’t jeopardize it by doing something
stupid. January also marks the serious part of the flu season. If you haven’t gotten your flu shot yet, you still have
time to do so. While we are on the subject of preventative measures, is your pneumonia shot current? It should be
updated every 5 years. The newest vaccine is designed to combat more strains of pneumonia than earlier versions.
Next month we begin the process of collecting our 2019 dues. You can expect to receive your notice in the mail
around the beginning of the month. We are hopeful that we can avoid the last year’s fiasco when dues notices
weren’t sent to about 80% of our membership.
Our survivor story this month is from Ken Lehmann. Ken is a member of the DeMatteis “family” and his daughter is
an RN on staff at St. Francis.
Enjoy the holidays,
Mark
(continued From page 1)
Bravehearts Newsletter Page 3
Ken Lehmann —Survivor Story (continued from page 1)
extremely pale. My primary care MD ordered a complete blood count (CBC). My hemoglobin was 6.0
and the “normal” rage was between 12 and 15. It was discovered that I had a small intestinal bleed and I
was given two units of blood.
I had the pleasure of meeting my Gastroenterologist, Dr. Chaim Abittan and added him to my growing
list of great doctors. He took me off all Excedrin and Advil and diagnosed me with Asymtematic Crohn’s
Disease. I was started on an iron supplement.
In May 2011, while exercising at DeMatteis I became light-headed while using the arm crank machine
and I’m told I fell off. Upon opening my eyes I saw many faces looking down at me. I found out I had an
episode of Ventricular Fibrillation (V-Fib) the lower ventricular chamber of the heart goes into irregular
contractions. I was paddled and given CPR. Thank God for Nancy Janow, RN and Ginger Novak, Exercise
Physiologist my saviors.
I was transferred to St. Francis under the care of Dr. Stuart Schecter (Arrythmia Group) who inserted a
Pacemaker/ICD (Implanted Cardiac Defibrillator). I now have the assurance that if it occurs again my
heart will automatically be shocked, keeping me from going into V- Fib. I was now good to go, other
than a few blood pressure/Coumadin hiccups.
Fast forward to June 2, 2016; we traveled to Pennsylvania for our oldest grandson’s high school
graduation. Unfortunately, I never saw the graduation. I experienced a GI Bleed (small intestine) and
was admitted to Reading Hospital. There I received two units of frozen platelets and five units of blood.
They started me on two medications, Pentasa and Protonix. I was hospitalized for a total of 10 days.
During that time, I celebrated my 51st Wedding Anniversary on June 6th. I also had two bowl preps and a
minor heart attack – no damage thank God. It was good to finally go home and relax, but that was short
lived.
On July 18th, I was admitted to St. Francis for another GI Bleed. I was again cared for by Dr. Abittan. I
received two units of blood and was hospitalized for 14 days. During this stay I endured three more
bowel preps. Twice I had to be transported to New York Presbyterian/Queens Hospital (the old Booth
Memorial Hospital) for a special procedure Double Balloon Enteroscopy to determine a diagnosis.
The procedure was performed by Dr. Moshe Puibin. I was officially diagnosed with Crohn’s. I had two
bleeding ulcers repaired and my medication with Pentasa and Protonix was continued.
Since then, all has been well and I’m back attending my regular rehab sessions.
I have great admiration and respect for St. Francis, the DeMatteis Center, Doctors, Nurses and all those
who helped bring me through this.
The best is my Guardian Angel, my daughter Donna Williams, RN at St. Francis, who hand-picked all of
my doctors and guided me through it all. God Bless her. It is good to be “Alive.”
Bravehearts Newsletter Page 4
BraveHearts Recognition
In the past, we’ve utilized information from the
very timely bulletin boards at the DeMatteis
Center prepared by Exercise Physiologist,
Corinne Rey. To allow our readers to put a face
with a name, here is a photo of Corinne with
her current bulletin board on winter weather.
(see some of her winter safety tips listed below)
In the November newsletter, we let everyone
know that Rosemarie Malvino, our co-editor was
relocating to Florida. Somewhat belatedly we
realized that some additional recognition was
necessary. Here is a photo of Rose with her
certificate of appreciation. As a note, she has
assisted in the preparation of both the
December and January newsletters. Again, Rose,
our heartfelt thanks.
WINTER SAFETY TIPS
• Avoid Slipping on Ice - Snowy roads and sidewalks make it easy to slip and fall. Be sure to wear shoes with good traction and non-skid soles, and stay inside until the roads are clear. Replace a worn cane tip to make walking easier.
• Dress for warmth - Use a scarf to cover your mouth. This will help your lungs by warming the air as you breathe.
• Fight Wintertime Depression - Because it can be difficult to get around during the winter, many seniors will stay indoors and have less contact with others. To help avoid feelings of loneliness and isolation, check in with family members, neighbors, and friends. A quick phone call can make a big difference.
• Check the Car - Get your car serviced before the winter hits. Have the battery, wipers, oil, and tires checked.
• Prepare for Power Outages - Winter storms can lead to power outages. Make sure you have easy access to flashlights (with new batteries) and a battery powered radio. Be sure to have non-perishable foods available that can be eaten cold. Wear several layers and try to move around to keep your body temperature up.
• Eat a Varied Diet - Many times when people stay indoors, they don’t eat a variety of foods. Therefore nutritional deficits, especially Vitamin D, can be a problem. Consume foods that are fortified with Vitamin D, such as milk, orange juice, cereal, oatmeal, eggs, and seafood like tuna and salmon.
• Prevent Carbon Monoxide Poisoning - Using a fireplace, gas heater or lanterns can lead to carbon monoxide poisoning. Be sure to check the batteries in your carbon monoxide detectors and buy an updated one if needed.
Don’t be afraid to reach out for help. Ask family members and/or neighbors to shovel, give you a ride to the supermarket or doctor’s appointment.
Bravehearts Newsletter Page 5
Christmas Fun at the DeMatteis Center Fitness
and Rehabilitation Center
“The difference between a dreamer and a visionary is that a dreamer has his eyes closed
and a visionary has his eyes open.” ~ Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Bravehearts Newsletter Page 6
Prayer for the New Year
Loving God, as we begin this New year,
we give you thanks for the gift of life
and for our families and friends.
May we see the beauty in each new day. May
we act out of our truest values and deepest
desires. May we be people of hope and bring
encouragement, show goodness, and have right
relationships with all those we encounter. May
this coming year be filled with peace and
contentment. May we always trust in you our
Loving God.
Amen
Courtesy of Sister Pauline Gilmore, FMM
Membership Input Requested
The BraveHearts of St. Francis Hospital, is
a membership organization and as such
we try to reflect the opinions and choices
of our membership. We are in the
process of putting together our activity
schedule for the new year and would like
your input. Where would you like to go
on a BraveHearts trip or outing?
It could be something that you enjoy and
think other members would enjoy or
someplace you haven’t been that you
might like to see. Give us a call, drop us a
line, or email and let us know your
suggestions.
Thanks
HELP NEEDED!!!
Starting in June, we need a new treasurer. Our current treasures has offered to assist
during the transition period and to lend a hand during the peak membership period.
If you are interested or think you can help please let us know. Call us at the BraveHearts
office (516) 562-6785. We are always in on Tuesday mornings. If you can’t reach us in the
office, please leave a message and Mark will get back to you.
Alternatively you can email us at BraveHeartsSFH@gmail.com or speak to Mark, Emile, or
Dan at any General Meeting.
Many thanks,
The BraveHearts Officers and Board
“The quality, not the longevity, of one’s life is what is important.” ~ Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Bravehearts Newsletter Page 7
Remember the children’s program that use to be on public television called “Where in the world is Carmen San Diego?” They would follow world explorer Carmen and her side-kick Diego to various parts of the world, leaving hints for the viewers. The object was to guess “where in the world” they were.
The January newsletter is being written a couple of days after the December newsletter was placed in the mail. Surprisingly, we have a December winner. Fred Doulton correctly identified all four photos. Marco Basone gets an honorable mention. He did place photo #2 in Rome, but not at the correct location.
The correct answers for December: 1. The Acropolis – Athens 2. Statue of Marcus Aurelius Capitoline Piazza, Rome 3. Statue of Romulus and Remus (founders of Rome) being suckled by a she-wolf, Capitoline Museum Rome 4. Ancient Oyi, Santorini Greece
Here are four new one to try out your memory. A couple of these may not be so easy. Guess the location and/or attraction. Email us with your answer: BraveheartsSFH@gmail.com Those with the correct answers will be named in our next issue along with the answers.
Where in the World
1 2
3 4
Bravehearts Newsletter
Contact us at: (516) 562 - 6785 or Email: BraveHeartsSFH@gmail.com
New members always welcome!
Refreshments served after meeting!
Location: St. Francis Hospital, lower level waiting room in the DeMatteis Pavilion – use the main hospital entrance and ask for directions at the volunteer desk.
BraveHearts Officers
President - Mark Trantel
Vice President - Jim Jaffe
Vice President - Fred Strobel
Treasurer - Emile Letendre
Secretary - Dan Siefert
BraveHearts Board Members
Karin Caprariello
Michael Carillo
Aurora Collins
Dino Guiducci
Rich Heinl
Doris Letendre
Joe Romuno
Mae Romuno
Georgiana Silva
Sr. Pauline Gilmore, FMM - Spiritual Advisor
Newsletter Contributors
Editor - Dan Siefert
Photographer - Jim Jaffe
Doris Letendre - Travel Coordinator
Contact us at: (516) 562 - 6785 or Email: BraveHeartsSFH@gmail.com
Date: Sunday, January 27th
Time: 1:00pm
Speaker: Rev. John McCartney
Topic: Theodore Roosevelt
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