Reviewed by: Michael Seale
Huntsville miracle story—how this nurse went from healthy to heart attack to healed
Reading time: 6 minutes
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It’s not every day you get to hear a Huntsville miracle story. Read on to learn how Sandra’s life completely changed in April 2023 and why she finds her career even more meaningful than before.
Meet Sandra, a Huntsville Hospital nurse
Ever since Sandra picked up a Mickey Mouse first aid book in her little town’s library in third grade, she knew she wanted to be a nurse.
She launched her nursing career right after college in Southeast Texas—where she’s originally from—before moving to Huntsville with her husband in 2001. Sandra began working at Huntsville Hospital two months after they moved. She and her husband immediately fell in love with the Rocket City and have been here ever since.
Over the course of 23 years, she’s worked in a couple of different roles at the hospital, starting out in the call center called, then HealthWorks and recently transitioning to the Digestive Disease Center to get back to working with patients.
Her husband also works at Huntsville Hospital as one of the Chaplains.
Unexpected heart attack
Up until last year, Sandra lived a very normal, healthy and active life. Her only medical history and hospitalizations were giving birth to four children.
But on April 2, 2023, Sandra’s life completely changed.
It was a normal Sunday morning. She and her husband had decided to stay home for the day, and she was watching their church service online.
Suddenly, she began to feel strange. She got up from the couch, started walking and quickly felt short of breath and nearly passed out.
“I felt like my brain and body disconnected, and my mind was screaming at me, ‘you’re falling, you’re falling.'”
Sandra Roberts, Huntsville Hospital Nurse
Before Sandra knew it, she collapsed and struck the left side of her face on the living room floor. She called for her son to get her husband, and they rushed to Huntsville Hospital.
After running some tests, the ER staff confirmed that Sandra had a heart attack, and they set up a heart cath for her the following Monday. That’s where she met Dr. Green—the Cardiologist who saved her life.
Here’s a timeline of this Huntsville miracle story from there:
- During the heart cath, Sandra started out stable but began to feel a sharp pain in her chest.
- Dr. Green examined her further and found a tear that turned into a dissection in her left main coronary artery.
- The situation became a medical emergency, and Sandra was put under and intubated.
- Sandra was too unstable to do an open heart surgery, but fortunately, Dr. Green was able to get two stents in her heart.
- Sandra returned to the cath lab the next day to have the sheath removed and noticed that her leg felt numb.
- After doing an ultrasound, the Huntsville Hospital staff found a blood clot in her right femoral artery.
- That evening, she went into surgery with Dr. Stucky who performed a femoral bypass. Afterward, she began to feel much more like herself.
- Later in the week, she had a carotid ultrasound and discovered she has a rare vascular disorder called fibromuscular dysplasia.
- Dr. Green and others put together a treatment plan for Sandra and she’s fully recovered since then.
You can work amid Huntsville miracle stories like Sandra’s every day. Check out careers at Huntsville Hospital.
The incredible staff at Huntsville Hospital
Becoming a patient at her place of employment showed Sandra firsthand the attentiveness and skill of the Huntsville Hospital staff.
“We have an amazing staff here at the hospital. Everyone—from the ER staff to the observation unit, CCU1 and cath lab—played a role in helping me be where I am today. I get to come back as a nurse, working full time and having no detriments.”
Sandra Roberts, Huntsville Hospital Nurse
We also got to chat with Dr. Green about her experience leading the team that saved Sandra’s life.
“When we first started examining Sandra, we were all chatting with her, having a good time and thinking we’d be done in 10 minutes.
Once the images came back, we knew we only had 10 minutes to get all the right tools in the room. We were like a NASCAR pit crew. It was amazing seeing the same team—who can be so nurturing at times—focusing on that kind of level. Everyone was really at the top of their game that afternoon.”
Dr. Jacqueline Green, Huntsville Hospital Cardiologist
Why work at Huntsville Hospital?
Sandra’s experience being a patient at Huntsville Hospital has only convinced her further that it’s a top-notch place to work.
“This is my work family. I was able to be helped by the same folks I work with and to turn around and help somebody else is a blessing. Being a nurse is something I don’t take for granted. It’s a privilege to take care of patients and impact lives.”
Sandra Roberts, Huntsville Hospital Nurse
Dr. Green shares many of Sandra’s sentiments regarding the work environment at Huntsville Hospital. She’s also loved becoming more integrated to the Huntsville community after moving here five years ago from Atlanta.
“Huntsville Hospital is such a special place. It is a very collegial work environment and feels like a fellowship or team—with the goal of providing high-quality care.
Huntsville also offers strong jobs for health professionals with spouses not in medicine. The schools are great, and the commutes are so much easier than in larger cities. We love it here.”
Dr. Jacqueline Green, Huntsville Hospital Cardiologist
Looking for the right place to grow your career? Apply to Huntsville Hospital today.
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