Maintenance supervisor Thomas Books was at a routine appointment to refill a prescription when Elizabeth Jernagan, a family nurse practitioner at the Marathon Health @ Haynes Health Care Center, asked how he’d been feeling.
“I told her that I felt like an 80-year-old man trapped in a 60-year-old body,” Books says.
Books’ symptoms included feeling tired and sluggish, and he noticed he was drained of energy by 10 a.m. each day. He mentioned those symptoms to his family doctor but never felt like the doctor paid much attention to his concerns.
Jernagan clearly thought Books’ symptoms warranted further attention.
“She sent me to have a stress test, which I failed,” Books says. “Then they sent me to Howard Community to have a heart catheterization and the doctor said I was so blocked up that even eight stints wouldn’t open me up.”
Less than a week later, Books underwent quadruple bypass surgery in Indianapolis—a procedure that likely saved his life.
“I’m glad somebody finally listened to me,” Books says. “I like how much time they take with us – they actually have the time. I’m glad Elizabeth listened to me and I’m really happy with the referrals Marathon Health gave me. It’s nice they take the time to do that.”
Now in rehab therapy, Books says he’s making solid progress in his recovery
“I feel pretty good,” he says. “I’m short-winded, which is to be expected from having quadruple bypass surgery, but I definitely feel a lot better.”
