A heart recovery reunion brought together top cardiologists in Metro Detroit and the patients they’ve served.
The event was Thursday (Nov. 2) evening in Grosse Pointe Shores, where a handful of patients reunited with their patients who were once critically ill.
“All of the patients that you see here are patients who have survived major catastrophic events that likely they would not have survived without these technologies,” said Dr. Amir Kaki.
The Impella, a small heart pump, was one of the technologies highlighted at the event.
Many of the patients benefited from minimally invasive life-saving technologies and procedures as they were too ill to undergo open heart surgery.
The reunion allowed patients and their families to celebrate the doctors and healthcare teams.
“I was told to say goodbye to my husband and then Dr. Kaki came in and he’s a superhero,” said Ashley McKay.
Her husband, Mike McKay, was 45 when he went into cardiogenic shock in August.
“After I heard everything that happened, if you heard the entire thing, you’d be like, how the heck did you make it through,” said Mike McKay.
Another former patient, Katy Jo Vandeneynde, was just 29 when she had her cardiac event.
“(My doctor) knew what was going to get me better ultimately, and he made the call, and it ultimately saved my life,” said Vandeneynde. “So the technology, I’m really grateful for it, but without him, I wouldn’t be here today.”
Vandeneynde’s physician, Dr. Theodore Schreiber, stood proudly by her side.
“This is a miracle,” said Schreiber. “This is why we do what we do. I’ve been a cardiologist for 42 years on account of folks like Katy, it keeps me going.”