Jeffrey Luckenbach is a Mended Hearts member and retired educator and coach. In 2021 he suffered a heart attack. He shares his story of recovery and hope for the future below.
My journey as a heart failure patient is an atypical one. I have a strong family history of heart disease but I was asymptomatic. My journey began with a diagnosis of COVID on March 15th. My family and I were very careful, however, I had to go to work and obtaining a vaccination in the Northeast was difficult in March 2021.
On March 22nd, I had difficulty sleeping, I had indigestion that started the previous evening and would not dissipate. Around 4 am I came to the conclusion this wasn’t indigestion but was chest pain. I waited till 5:30am to wake my wife and tell her I was having chest pain with vomiting. My wife called 911, and at 6:15am I was in the ambulance awake, on my way to the hospital.
I do not recall much after my arrival at the hospital. I was brought to the Cath Lab as the doctors knew I was having a heart attack. There was a clot completely blocking the main artery of my heart. I was told the doctor put two stents into my artery. During the procedure my heart stopped and I had to be defibrillated. There was so much damage to my heart the doctors needed to use a medical devise to help my heart pump and placed me on a ventilator.
I don’t recall anything from the first several weeks of the hospital. My heart was damaged, my kidneys failed and I had COVID. On April 1st my progress continued to decline, a doctor performed an ultrasound on my heart. He had found a large amount of fluid compressing my heart. It needed to be removed immediately because death was imminent. They successfully drained the fluid and I began to stabilize.
Unfortunately, this progress was short lived. I had the breathing tube removed, but I aspirated food into my lungs and my lungs filled with fluid, and needed the ventilator again.
Eventually I was strong enough to breath on my own and I was taken off the ventilator. However, the renal failure persisted, so dialysis continued, and a new diagnosis of chronic illness myopathy was discovered. I had no movement from my shoulders down. I needed acute rehabilitation to learn to move and take care of myself.
I spent 45 days/5 weeks in rehab. My kidney function returned enough, so I don’t need dialysis, but they only function at 50%. I have to monitor my electrolyte levels closely.
Since discharge, I completed cardiac rehab, had a pacemaker/defibrillator inserted for my poor heart function, and I continued physical and occupational therapy for 7 months. I have also battled through additional conditions that developed through this experience.
To say I was fortunate is an understatement. Since discharge, I focus on my recovery and continue to make incredible progress. The doctors said my physical activity prior to the heart attack helped to save my life. As for now, two years later, I want to be the person to give others hope when their situations are as dire as mine was.
Jeffrey’s Bio: I am a retired, 61-year old former educator (35 years). I have also worked as a basketball official and a baseball umpire over the years. I have coached several sports and tried to remain active. I have participated in tennis, golf and road racing. I hope to return to as much of my activities.
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