CAROLYN’S STORY
In 2008, Carolyn Thomas began to experience pain and discomfort — nausea, sweating, pain in the middle of her chest and down her left arm. As a healthy and active woman Carolyn did not believe she was having a heart attack, but she knew something was wrong and went to Royal Jubilee’s Emergency Department. She was seen by Dr. Manjeet Mann, a cardiologist and the Executive Medical Director of Heart Health. “He sat down beside my bed, held my hand, and with his calming presence told me I had significant heart disease. I remember asking him ‘Are you saying that I might have had a heart attack?’ And he said ‘Yes, and I’m saying you are also having a heart attack right now’.” Dr. Mann immediately sent Carolyn to Royal Jubilee’s Heart Catheterization Laboratory. Through a small incision in her wrist, an interventional cardiologist inserted a catheter that carried a stent to one of her arteries, stopping the heart attack. Carolyn was able to go home shortly afterwards, and continues to receive follow up care from the cardiac team at Royal Jubilee. “I think we’re always looking for ways to make a patient’s journey better,” Dr. Mann modestly responds when praised by Carolyn. “In their continual drive to bring patients the best care possible, our cardiac team has become an incubator for innovation, working every day for breakthroughs that continually elevate standards of cardiac care in our community. In our department, 22 talented and internationally recognized cardiac physicians and hundreds of specially trained caregivers work together to help patients get well and back to their lives and families.” Carolyn is incredibly grateful for the care she received in Victoria. She knows she was lucky to be treated here and asks that the community continue to support Victoria’s hospitals. “We are so fortunate we have this state-of-the-art facility. I’m so appreciative of the care I received from this talented team.”