It was a normal, crisp Saturday in November 2012. Stan was outside doing some yard work before the winter weather set in.
While he was trimming, raking, and cleaning, he started having symptoms of a heart attack. “I’ve been a first responder, and I was positive that it was a heart attack,” he says.
He was quickly rushed to an Intermountain hospital where medical providers confirmed his suspicions. Within half an hour, the on-call doctors were at his bedside. “I was grateful and impressed that it could be so fast,” he recounts.
There was no time to lose. Cardiologist, Kent Meredith M.D., took Stan to the cardiac catheterization lab onsite to place a stent—a small metal coil used to open a narrow or closed artery. During the procedure, things took a turn for the worse.
Stan’s wife, Kerry, recalls Dr. Meredith telling her Stan crashed on the table. “His blood pressure crashed, everything just crashed. His heart and everything were just stopping,” she remembers.
Dr. Meredith gave Stan a shot of epinephrine to get his adrenaline going. Kerry says the doctor told her they were screaming at Stan, “Stay with us! Stay with us!” He almost died on the table, but the medical team moved “fast and hard” and “kept him going.” Between the shot of epinephrine and the team telling Stan to stay with them, Kerry says he pulled through.
“The doctor came running out and down the hall, and I almost had to run down the hall to keep up with him,” she says. Dr. Meredith and his team were able keep Stan’s heart going and place the stent successfully.
Looking back, Kerry and Stan are grateful for the care they received at Intermountain.
“We both feel that if we had not been at Intermountain, and if everyone hadn’t moved so fast, and without Dr. Meredith’s stent, Stan would not have lived,” Kerry states. They also credit the emergency department and all the caregivers for their expertise and quick thinking.
“I’ve had a little over twelve and a half more years because of that,” Stan adds. “I thank Dr. Meredith every year.”
THE RIGHT CARE WHEN YOU NEED IT
When it comes down to needing care of any kind, having a network of trusted medical providers and insurance coverage is vital. Since 2012, Stan has had a handful of other surgeries and procedures. Even though knee replacements and cataracts surgery aren’t ideal, his experiences were positive. “By far, I think Select Health has the best insurance, and Intermountain has the best selection of doctors,” he says.
He and Kerry have been Select Health members for decades. When it came time to transition to Medicare, they chose a Select Health Medicare Advantage plan. “Select Health has just been excellent insurance for us,” Stan states.
LEARN MORE ABOUT SELECT HEALTH
If you’re in the market for a new health insurance plan, take a look at Select Health’s insurance plans. Residents of Colorado, Utah, Nevada, and Idaho can enroll in a health insurance plan during open enrollment or during a special enrollment period.
Call our member services team to learn more about our plans, benefits, network of providers, and if you’re eligible to sign up.