Hear what our patients are saying about the Erlanger Heart & Lung Institute

Jeff Cook -The Right Doctor at the Right Time

With success in sight, Jeff Cook collapsed 100 yards from the IRONMAN Chattanooga finish line. Revived and taken to Erlanger, he learned he needed a sextuple (6-way) bypass. Jeff believes divine intervention guided him to the right heart care at the right time – Dr. Jeffrey Poynter and his Erlanger cardiothoracic surgery team.

Connie Young - Up and Running Again

Connie Young wasn’t sure what to think when a routine echocardiogram revealed a bulge in her aorta. Closer diagnosis at Erlanger Heart and Lung revealed a potentially life-threatening aortic aneurism. Through a minimally invasive procedure with Dr. Jeff Poynter and Connie’s hard work, she was able to run a marathon just five months after surgery.

Rick Perry - Chest Pain on the Road

Rick Perry started having chest pains while driving his semi-truck from central Alabama to Chattanooga. After making a delivery at Volkswagen Chattanooga, he called for medical help. He’s grateful that call led him to Erlanger and Dr. Larry Shears.

Susan Fenemma - Widowmaker Artery Blockage

On her morning walks, Susan Fennema began experiencing chest pressure and upper-back aches - symptoms of heart disease which ran in her family. She was alarmed, but delayed emergency care because the symptoms went away after exercise. Susan is glad her journey ultimately led to the Erlanger Heart and Lung Institute.

Mike Schrader - Blocked Arteries

What Mike Schrader thought was a hiatal hernia turned out to be four blocked arteries in his heart. He is thankful to get this fixed with quadruple bypass surgery from Dr. Larry Shears and cardiac rehabilitation that helped him resume normal activities.

Peter McFarlane - Widowmaker Heart Attack

The last thing Pete McFarlane remembered was feeling dizzy after a workout. Six days later he woke up in ICU at Erlanger. He’d had a “widow-maker” heart attack – sudden 100% blockage of the LAD artery. Today Peter is grateful to be active again and even climbing new mountains in this life.