Heart Care Patient Stories

Our patients love to share their experiences with EvergreenHealth's cardiac care team.

image of Geoff Gregorich, cardiac care patient at EvergreenHealth cardiac care in Kirkland, WA

Lifesaving Heart Care

In less than a week, Geoff Gregorich went from his annual physical to open heart surgery for a dangerous heart tumor. Read Geoff's story

image of Tim and Laura Nugent, emergency care patient at EvergreenHealth cardiac care in Kirkland, WA

CPR Training Prevails When Minutes Matter

Thanks to his wife's quick thinking and knowledge of CPR, Tim Nugent survived his heart attack. Read Tim's story

image of Ted Perry, cardiac rehab patient at EvergreenHealth cardiac care in Kirkland, WA

Regaining Strength with the Help of a Heart Community

After a mild heart attack, cardiac rehab was instrumental in getting Ted Perry back to his active lifestyle. Read Ted's story

image of Harlan Harris, cardiac care patient at EvergreenHealth cardiac care in Kirkland, WA

Cardiac Rehab Provides a Safe Space for Staying Fit

After a heart procedure, cardiac rehab helped Harlan Harris discover that daily exercise was his "magic bullet" for staying healthy. Read Harlan's story

image of Carmen Varnado-Wixx, cardiac care patient at EvergreenHealth cardiac care in Kirkland, WA

'So grateful': Doctor's Clutch Diagnosis Saves a Life

Shoulder pain brought Carmen Varnado-Wixx to the emergency department, but during her work-up she went into full cardiac arrest. One of her arteries was 99% blocked. Read Carmen's story

image of Nancy Stewart, cardiac care patient at EvergreenHealth cardiac care in Kirkland, WA

20 Years of Symptoms Get Diagnosis Thanks to Thorough Testing

For nearly half her life, Nancy Stewart had been told she suffered from a heart murmur - but that didn't explain her excruciating headaches, nausea and exhaustion. Checkups and multiple echocardiograms failed to provide an answer. Read Nancy's story

image of Ed Jurvainen, cardiac care patient at EvergreenHealth cardiac care in Kirkland, WA

Bypass Surgery and Cardiac Rehab Gets Local Man Back On His Feet

Following a cardiac bypass, Ed Jurvainen joined EvergreenHealth's cardiac rehab program and hasn't slowed down since. "If I'd tried to make it on my own," he says, "I wouldn't have succeeded." Read Ed's story

image of Jim Maguire, cardiac care patient at EvergreenHealth cardiac care in Kirkland, WA

Quick Thinking and a Rapidly Expanding Balloon Save a Heart Attack Patient

Not only is Jim Maguire still walking around, he's back at his construction job – just a couple of months after a massive heart attack. It was a heart attack he didn't realize he was having until it was almost too late. Read Jim's story

Image of Cardiac patient Doug Throckmorton, who had his high cholesterol successfully managed by EvergreenHealth Pharmacy Services near Seattle in Kirkland, WA

New Heart Condition Treatment Helps Local Man Enjoy Retirement

When Doug Throckmorton's retirement plans were sidetracked by the detection of a heart condition, a new EvergreenHealth service helped him get a fresh start and a new outlook on life. Read Doug's story

image of Ted Sturlaugson, cardiac care patient at EvergreenHealth cardiac care in Kirkland, WA

Surviving a Heart Attack Thanks to Specialized Care and Teamwork

You'll forgive Ted Sturlaugson if he's a little fuzzy on the details. By the time he got to EvergreenHealth's Emergency Department, he was unconscious and medics had already restarted his heart five times. Read Ted's story

image of Alexis Day, cardiac care patient at EvergreenHealth cardiac care in Kirkland, WA

Solving a Medical Mystery to Potentially Save a Life

When Alexis Day came to EvergreenHealth’s Emergency Department with severe abdominal pain, it took detective work worthy of an episode of CSI to figure out what was causing the problem. Read Alexis' story