Michael Simons will be the first to tell you, he shouldn't be here. "I blacked out. The chart showed my heart continued to degrade and lost his pumping ability and I died."
It was little over a month ago Simons suffered a serious cardiac incident. Michael suffered sudden cardiac arrest which is the term we use for electrical death of the heart. This is different from the traditional heart attack that we think about with the blood clot and clogging artery. This is electrical death where the heart fails and quits pumping in an efficient manner and really the only thing that can save a patient at that point is high voltage electricity.
Luckily just a week earlier Dr. Jared Salvo ordered Simons to wear a wearable defibrillator. When the 65-year-old heart patient lost consciousness, this life saving vest went into action. The siren goes off and it shocks you and you fly forward in the seat and back in the seat because there is two pads one on your chest and your back. "I opened my eyes all these people are in the room and I'm going hmmmm wonder what happened here."
The Zoll life vest is now available at Bakersfield Heart Hospital. Simons was wearing it as a precaution as doctors tried to determine whether an implanted defibillator would benefit his health. "Never did I think he would use it I feel awe inspired today that he is here to talk with us."
Life saving breakthrough technology now available here at home.
Simons now has a permanent defibrillator implant. He's doing very well and is greatful to Dr. Salvo and the Bakersfield Heart Hospital staff for this piece of technology that saved his life.
