ken lehmann survivor story a note from the president · 2020-01-22 · vincent parlato double ypass...

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)


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)


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 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.


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.


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 [email protected] 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.

mailto:[email protected]


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: [email protected] Those with the correct answers will be named in our next issue along with the answers.

Where in the World

1 2

3 4

mailto:[email protected]


Contact us at: (516) 562 - 6785 or Email: [email protected]

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: [email protected]

Date: Sunday, January 27th

Time: 1:00pm

Speaker: Rev. John McCartney

Topic: Theodore Roosevelt

ken lehmann survivor story a note from the president · 2020-01-22 · vincent parlato double ypass...

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