Rosie Coleman's Journey to Heart Recovery

My name is Rosie Coleman. I am 64 years old and I’m a retired executive director of elementary education in Arkansas. When I began experiencing shortness of breath, I went to my doctor who diagnosed me with pneumonia. When my symptoms worsened and I could hardly walk, I went to the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) Medical Center in Little Rock, AR. Once at the hospital, I was diagnosed with congestive heart failure with an ejection fraction of 20%. At that moment, I accepted my diagnoses and knew coronary artery bypass grafting surgery (CABG) was the best option for me. A short time later, Dr. Jay K. Bhama performed a quadruple bypass surgery and repaired my tricuspid and mitral valves.

During my surgery, I went into postcardiotomy cardiogenic shock (PCCS) and Dr. Bhama used the Impella 5.5® with SmartAssist® to allow my heart to rest. Three days later, my heart began to recover and Impella was removed. A few weeks later, I returned home with normal heart function and an ejection fraction of 55%. Without Impella, I would not be here today.

Today, I am living every day to the fullest. I’m feeling healthy and living my normal life. I’ve even written a children’s book!