By Shannon Carroll Kootenai Health’s Heart Center is a modern reflection of the decades of stellar care provided to heart patients in our region. David Davis is the husband of one such patient whose recent health scare shed light on the power of compassionate care and modern technology working hand in hand to save lives. “It was a lazy Sunday, and Cynthia and I were just lying in bed scrolling through our phones,” said David. In their mid-60s, David and Cynthia were enjoying being retired and spending quality time together. Married for 27 years, David’s love for his wife was evident in his emotional retelling of their so-called lazy Sunday. “I was going to go outside and tinker with some new tools I’d gotten for my tractor but decided to stay in bed next to my wife and relax a bit more,” he said. David and Cynthia live on 10 acres in Athol, Idaho, and he normally spends his mornings working on their small farm. On this particular day, the couple could not have been more fortunate that David chose to take it easy. Suddenly, an emergency “I was just reading headlines when I noticed Cynthia was making an odd sound—almost like how a horse blows out of its nose,” he said. “I had my back to her and asked, ‘Are you okay?’ She didn’t respond. She was completely unconscious.” David immediately called 911 with his cellphone on speaker and provided his wife’s status to the operator. The operator suggested he move her to the floor in case CPR was needed. After moving Cynthia to the floor, he realized her pulse had stopped and notified 911 he was starting CPR. “I’m a retired deputy sheriff, and I’ve seen many things over the years—car wrecks, murders, gunshot wounds,” he said. “But I’ve never once had to give CPR. I never dreamed I’d have to perform it on my wife.” David’s quick actions that morning were the first step in saving his wife’s life. The second step involved innovative tools that provided assistance to first responders, Cynthia’s care team and her heart. As David started CPR, he shouted, “Unlock the front door!” to his virtual assistance device, more commonly known as Amazon Alexa. Additionally, David was able to view outdoor cameras on his phone to update 911 on the arrival of emergency personnel and guide them to his location inside the house. Maintaining constant CPR and not leaving her side for a moment provided Cynthia with an increased chance of survival. Innovation and expertise The intersection between technology and saving Cynthia’s life continued through her care at the Kootenai Health Heart Center. She received immediate and lifesaving care by a team of intensivists and the A Bigger, Better Heart Center Kootenai Health’s Heart Center is a wonderful example of how a community can come together to improve health care for everyone. From 2003 to 2005, the Kootenai Health Foundation and generous donors in our community came together to build a state-of-the-art heart center to serve patients in northern Idaho. Twenty years, thousands of cardiovascular surgeries and countless additional cardiac procedures later, the need for these services has continued to grow. Northern Idaho, especially Kootenai County, is one of the fastest growing regions of the country. Innovative Tools and Quick Action Work Together to Save a Life
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