Gratitude Stories - Bob
Grateful Patient Shares His Lifesaving Story
“I’m trying to age gracefully now,” Bob jokes, “but I wouldn’t be here today if it weren’t for the people at Rhode Island Hospital—they saved my life!”
It was late July of 2021, and Bob Gould wasn’t feeling well. He thought he caught a cold from his granddaughter during a family get-together and that maybe it turned into bronchitis; he felt overly fatigued and had pain in his larynx and lungs when he exerted himself.
Just to be on the safe side, he took several Covid tests over the next few weeks, which were all negative. The discomfort persisted on and off for weeks, but Bob, an avid cyclist and walker, felt well enough to continue his regular exercise regimen for the most part. So, he decided to wait for his scheduled annual check-up in October to discuss the matter with his primary care doctor.
At the appointment, a stress test was ordered, which Bob failed. He had two blocked coronary arteries and would need to have them surgically repaired without delay. The next day, doctors attempted a stent procedure on Bob, which they could not complete because his arteries were totally occluded.
His care team determined that coronary artery bypass grafting was Bob’s best option. The delicate and complicated surgery involved taking healthy blood vessels from another part of Bob’s body and connecting them below the blocked arteries to create a new path for blood to flow adequately to his heart.
The operation was a success.
After a six-day inpatient stay, and extensive cardiac rehabilitation services, also provided by Rhode Island Hospital, Bob fully recovered and is back to enjoying long walks and bike rides, and he’s even taken up Qigong.
Now 70, a grateful Bob reflects, “From the doctors, nurses, and support staff to housekeeping, food and nutrition services…everyone I encountered at Rhode Island Hospital had a positive, professional attitude. I felt so fortunate to be there.”