Justin Redman's Journey to Heart Recovery

My name is Justin Redman and I’m from Godley, TX. I’m 74 and I have lived with advanced heart disease for years after suffering my first heart attack at age 41. I’ve endured a triple bypass, a quadruple bypass redo, and a total of 29 visits to the catheterization lab. I think it’s safe to say I’m no stranger to heart disease.

When I developed severe chest pain in 2013, I knew it meant something was seriously wrong. I visited my cardiologist who gave me little hope for a future. I was then referred to Dr. Farhan Ali at the Heart Center of North Texas in Fort Worth, TX. He performed a diagnostic catheterization and recommended a Protected PCI with the Impella^® heart pump. He explained Impella 2.5^® would support my heart while he placed stents. I said, “Let’s go for it!” I had been so sluggish; I could barely even walk across the room. I knew this was my best option for recovery.

When Dr. Ali inserted the pump, I instantly knew something had changed. It was like the lights got brighter. He placed a stent in my artery and was finished with the procedure in less than 30 minutes. When I got to the recovery room, I felt more energized than I had been in a long time. I went home the next morning and my heart function ultimately recovered back to what it was before I experienced the chest pain.

More than eight years later, I still feel great. I can do anything I want to do, like working on my farm and enjoying time with my wife, Penney. I’m not so sure I would even be here today without my Protected PCI procedure. I’m grateful every day for my physician and his dedication to patients like me.