A Carson City man who underwent double-bypass heart surgery 30 years ago spent the decades that followed wanting to express his thanks to the surgeon who operated on him.
Royce “Roy” Robinson got that day to convey his gratitude to Dr. Todd Chapman, 30 years to the date of the double bypass heart surgery that likely saved his life.
In a meeting between the two men organized by Carson Tahoe Hospital and Physician Assistant Carmella Downing, Robinson praised Chapman’s expertise that has helped give him longevity and a healthy life.
“This is something I wanted to do for years, to come in and talk and say thank you from my heart. Thank you,” said the 90-year-old Robinson standing next his wife Marcia at Carson Tahoe Hospital during the fall reunion.
Dr. Chapman, a distinguished and preeminent Carson Tahoe Hospital heart surgeon, has performed thousands of surgeries since 1985, including Robinson’s, which was done at what was then Washoe Medical Center.
Chapman shook Robinson’s hand and said “you’re quite welcome,” later joking “old guys like us have to stick together.”
And this where the story unfolds of how these two men crossed paths briefly 30 years ago, under dire circumstances upon learning that Robinson would need the double bypass surgery to avoid a deadly heart attack.
DIAGNOSIS: ‘NO, POSITIVE IS NOT GREAT’
Robinson, who was 60 at the time and had recently retired as a State of Nevada data processor, recalled how he went in for a routine check up. The doctor hold him to lose weight and go on a diet. Robinson said he would. He then said he wanted to do a treadmill test. This led to other tests. At the time, Robinson didn’t think they were urgent in nature. What followed wasn’t what he thought it would be.
“They came back and said the test was positive. I said ‘great.’ They said, ‘no, positive is not great.’ They said they discovered a blockage.”
He said they did an angiogram to find out where the blockage was. “I was then told I need to have double bypass right away,” said Robinson.
When the doctor told him he needed the surgery, Robinson said his first reaction was “terror.” Listening to Robinson tell it, Dr. Chapman said this is likely the case with most people when they’re told this kind of news.
“I tell people, when you’re not afraid, you’re not paying attention. There’s always risk,” said Dr. Chapman.
The options were on the table for Robinson.
“So you weigh it. There’s that you do surgery or the possibility of dropping over dead. That’s not much of a choice,” he said. “So I did it.”
What then followed turned from terror to apprehension, Robinson said.
“I did the consultation. I remember telling people I didn’t have anything to do that weekend, so I decided to have a bypass,” said Robinson.
Dr. Chapman explained how surgery was recommended in his case “because when you wait, you can have a heart attack. So we acted promptly.”
Robinson said on surgery day, he went in with his wife Marcia, told her he loved her, before being situated on a gurney. He said he doesn’t remember much that followed after the surgery except being in recovery.
Robinson spent eight days in the hospital, which was the norm for those kinds of open heart procedures 30 years ago. His wife Marcia recalls those moments in surgery as being “very worrying,” from the time of operation to the lull when he was post-surgery and under anesthesia.
“When visiting hours were over and we were still in recovery, I said something about leaving and they said, ‘no you don’t have to leave. You can stay as long as you have to.’ The nurses were very nice,” said Marcia.
One thing Robinson does remember about his post-operation hospital stay was that he experienced an oxygen issue and a hose was inserted in his throat for breathing.
“I remember I had a gag reflex. Someone gave me something to knock me out … I wasn’t too happy with the hose,” he said.
Dr. Chapman routinely talks with his patients following surgery and a few weeks later, before patients generally go back to their cardiologist for the long term.
“I’m kind of the short-term doc. Once you’re over the surgery, I’m off to the next one,” said Dr. Chapman.
RECOVERY AND MAINTAINING GOOD HEALTH
Robinson underwent physical therapy following surgery and upon returning home. He jokingly recalled how he nicknamed one PT nurse “Wicked Witch of the North” because she would make him get out of bed and walk, something that for nearly all post-op heart patients, is difficult but must be done.
Going home couldn’t have come sooner. He was given the clearance to leave, instructions on how to maneuver and the famous heart pillow, which is a compression pillow used to help alleviate pain in the chest area experienced following open heart surgery. It’s used when movements of the chest such as sneezes, coughs or getting in and out of bed, can be extremely painful.
Robinson recalled how one day at home in recovery, the heart pillow was in the bedroom. He was in the living room and began to cough.
“It was like a mule kicking me, so from then on I made sure the pillow was with me at all times,” he said.
Three weeks into his recovery, Robinson thought he could go back to work where he had taken up a post-retirement data processing teaching job at Western Nevada College.
“I told Marcia I can do that and thought I’d be fine. So about halfway through the class I ran out of gas. I called Marcia and said come and get me. But all in all though, it wasn’t that difficult. I had my rock right here,” he said, pointing to Marcia.
REGULAR CHECK-UPS ARE ESSENTIAL TO PREVENTION
Even before surgery, Robinson acknowledged he did not exercise regularly.
“But I did afterward. At the time I was up to 200 pounds, which isn’t terribly heavy, but I did lose weight and started exercising after surgery. I learned that every pound puts stress on your heart and whole system.”
Robinson said that though he was prone to routine checkups as he grew older, getting the news that led to the surgery had never entered his mind. Now at age 90, where everyone he knows says he looks fantastic for his age, Robinson said he’s unsure what to feel other than he’s maintained good health and is happy to be alive.
Robinson’s good health and mental acuity is sharp and there’s a reason. Exercise and diet matter as does keeping your mind occupied. Acknowledging that with age comes some forgetfulness, Robinson said the love for his wife as well as “keeping on top of things” has made all the difference.
“I don’t know how I’m supposed to feel at 90. I equate it to what it was when I was younger, when there wasn’t too many people who were 90 years old. Older people then were 70,” he said. “Even with memory, while we (all) lose some of it, I remember when I was 16 and didn’t have a very good memory.”
Without a beat, Dr. Chapman jokingly chimed in, “well, girls will do that to you.”
As with anyone, getting regular checkups is important, Dr. Chapman said, adding that Robinson’s story is a good reminder for people to regularly see their family doctor, who are really good at screening, whether it’s a treadmill test or CT Scan or Coronary Artery Calcium score.
“All those things you hear about. Know your blood pressure. Get checkups. You don’t know if your blood pressure is high if you don’t have someone taking your blood pressure. You don’t know if your cholesterol is bad if you don’t get your cholesterol checked,” said Chapman. “Checking in with family doctors is good for that. If you have a family history, tell them and they will be a little more focused on that.”
Carson Tahoe Health’s Dr. David Baker, who was also present at the gathering, spoke of the hospital’s wellness program and clinic held multiple times a year where people can get a series of tests, overseen by physicians, to find diseases that may have yet been detected.
Dr. Chapman said it doesn’t matter what age people are, all should be aware of their heart health.
“Sometimes I’ll operate on people in their 50s or 60s and the family will be there and so I’ll ask about family history. I’ll say ‘you’re 25 years old and have a family history. Maybe you should get checked.’ That way in their 40s there’s already a baseline established, so when they’re in their 40s, (family doctors) will be able to see the change,” said Dr. Chapman.
For Robinson, his advice is that it is never too early to get checked for heart health.
“You could have some serious medical problems at 18 or 60, you never know. Get checked out. It can’t hurt,” he said.
February is American Heart Health Month and is being celebrated at Carson Tahoe Health. For more information about Carson Tahoe Health’s upcoming heart screenings in February, email community@carsontahoe.org.
