“To be where I am right now, I would never have thought it be possible to feel this good,” said Kurt Metzger, a St. Luke’s Health – Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center (Baylor St. Luke’s) cardiovascular patient.
Mother’s Day 2018 will forever live in Kurt’s mind as he was rushed to a local hospital with incredible chest pain. After being unsuccessfully treated for a small tear in his aorta and an ulcer, Kurt and his wife, Shelley, ended up in their local ER once again. He was in such poor condition – having now experienced a ruptured aorta – no doctor in Texas was willing to accept his case, until Baylor St. Luke’s and the Texas Heart® Institute contacted the Metzger’s and immediately had Kurt on a plane to Houston.
Kurt required extensive heart surgery, treatment and rehabilitation, but it was the specialized and compassionate heart and vascular care, led by board-certified cardiologists and heart surgeons, and team of experienced nurses and other healthcare professionals, that gave Kurt hope.
“The doctors and nurses are so attentive to their patients. The compassionate care and smiles that were given [to me] were almost better than the medicine,” said Kurt. “I am very grateful to the physicians at Baylor St. Luke’s and the Texas Heart® Institute who were willing to listen to me and treat my condition when no one else would. Today I feel strong and hopeful for the future and to making the most of every day for myself and for my family.”
Shelley also credits the extended staff of valets, janitorial staff, chaplains, and cafeteria employees at Baylor St. Luke’s for making life easier and playing an important role her husband’s healthy recovery.
St. Luke’s Health has a history of giving hope to patients – from patient-centric cardiovascular screenings and rehabilitation to treating the most complex heart cases – our partnership with Baylor College of Medicine and the Texas Heart® Institute at Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center gives patients a wide range of research capabilities and collaboration that paves the way for revolutionary discoveries and treatments.
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