Meet Ellie Whelan, Heart Patient

[@vamedic4]

I had the privilege of working with patients like Ellie for 17 years. My patients had congenital heart defects, heart surgeries, transplants, or, like Ellie, heart failure requiring life saving measures and a pacemaker or ICD to keep their heart functioning at an acceptable level. You can't begin to comprehend the fear these parents must have felt when they got the phone call telling them that their daughter was in trouble, the questions that go through your mind as your own fear grows exponentially. I have seen it far too many times. Fortunately, Ellie is still around...thanks to quick action by the school, the rescuers, the transport team and the hospitals who implemented the hypothermia protocol. Believe me when I tell you that it is a wonderful thing to see a patient that you have seen at their worst moment - the time you were working feverishly with a team to save their life - walk out of the hospital. It doesn't just put a smile on your face, it leaves a smile in your heart. Thanks, VCU, for sharing this story with us, and keep up the good work!