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A good reputation is worth its weight in gold—or in Lawrence Walker’s case, can save a life. This man’s strong faith in God and confidence in
Englewood Hospital and Medical Center
prevented his third heart operation from turning tragic.
In the 1930’s, 13-year-old Lawrence fell ill.
Like many other young people during that time, he had contracted Scarlet Fever, an illness caused by an infection with group A streptococcus bacteria that can cause a scarlet-colored rash accompanied by a high fever and sore throat. Lawrence recovered soon enough, but knew that something was different.
“Ever since I got sick, I was weaker than most kids my age,” he explains.
It wasn’t until 1986 that he learned why he always felt weak. Lawrence was told that the fever he had over 50 years ago had life-long repercussions on his heart.
“I went to my doctor because I had pneumonia and an x-ray discovered that the fever had damaged my heart valves. I had an enlarged heart. Most people never know that they have this condition until its too late and they have congestive heart failure.”
This doctor told Lawrence that he had come just in time—he probably had one more day left before he suffered complete heart failure. Lawrence was soon diagnosed with mitral stenosis, a heart valve
disorder that prevents the valve from opening properly and blocks the blood flow to the body. Most people die without ever knowing they had a problem.
Lawrence was admitted to the hospital and had his valve replaced. This was his first open-heart surgery. Then in 1998, the symptoms were back. Lawrence’s valve was closing and he was losing energy. He was scheduled to have his second open-heart surgery, and the valve was replaced. Lawrence was 74 years old.
Fast-forward to 2007 and the situation becomes even more critical. “In June of this year I had spent a week at a hospital in Hartford, Connecticut with the same problem. I had what they call a blow-out valve, but this time I was considered high-risk and no one wanted to do my surgery.”
Lawrence had turned 83 years old and his age, combined with his beliefs as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses and his refusal of blood transfusions, made his case unique.
“When the doctor in Connecticut told me he wouldn’t do it, of course I was anxious, but I wasn’t worried because I had heard about Englewood Hospital and I knew someone there would take on my case,” recalls Lawrence. |
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Knowing Englewood Hospital’s reputation
for excellence in heart surgery and bloodless
medicine, Lawrence and his family drove
5 hours over night confident that they
wouldn’t be turned down a second time.
“Dr. Klein and Dr. Ergin explained the risks
to me and that survival of this surgery was
estimated at only 30-40%. They said they
couldn’t guarantee anything because I had a
lot of scar tissue and that increases bleeding.
But they were confident that they could give
me my best chance. A blood transfusion was
never even a suggestion.
“At other hospitals I would say ‘no blood’
and they’d give you a look, but not here.”
The hardest part of the whole process for
Lawrence was staying in bed. As a former
traveling minister who visited and encouraged
congregations of Jehovah’s Witnesses,
he was always on the go. But this time he
had to slow down, even if just for a little
while. In the end, however, Lawrence
Walker survived his third open-heart
surgery with only good stories to tell.
“I’ve been in a few hospitals in my years and
Englewood has lived up to its reputation.
Everyone was kind and considerate: it was
a new experience for me.”
Today, Lawrence is busy as ever doing
volunteer work as a special pioneer evangelizer
three times a week and is very active
in his local congregation. His Primary Care
physician told him that she was surprised to
see him back for a check-up after his third
surgery because when she heard that he
wouldn’t accept a blood transfusion, she
was sure that he wouldn’t make it
through the operation.
A few months have passed since his surgery
and he is already feeling like himself and has
no plans of slowing down any time soon.
Article Source:
BLOODLESS CHOICES|Fall/Winter 20071
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Long distance not a roadblock to improved health for
