Brothers and Sisters, I would like to talk to all of you about the Heart and Lung scan that Union Memorial Hospital has offered to us. I had it done and it saved my life. The scan showed a blockage in my main artery, so I went to one of their cardiologists who set me up for a nuclear stress test. (This test is when you are on a treadmill and they shoot dye into your artery to see if there is a blockage. My numbers for this test were fantastic and the doctor could not understand why the scan showed a blockage.) They stressed my heart to 98% of its capacity and I was fine. The cardiologist said the only sure way to make sure there is no blockage is to have a catheterization test, so I went into Union Memorial Hospital on September 7th, had the test and spent one night. The results were amazing! I had a 99% blockage in one of my major arteries. They ended up putting a stint in the artery and the blood flow is now 100%. Since my experience, Steve Fugate has had quadruple bypass surgery and attributes this heart scan as saving his life. Chief Waldner was instrumental in getting this program started and he deserves a lot of the credit I, for one, really appreciate what he has done.
We are in the process of doing scans at this time. I think everyone in the department should have them done. If interested, call the union hall and the secretary will take your information and the hospital will contact you for an appointment. Remember this offer will not last forever.