Scroggins Thanks PCH for Saving his Life
November 4th, 2019
Bob Scroggins, of Tower Hill stated, “One evening I am dancing the night away with my fiancé feeling strong and healthy and a few days later, my heart stopped!” He stopped by Pana Community Hospital ER earlier this month to thank Dr. Theodore Toerne and the Pana Community Hospital ER staff for saving his life. “I would not be here today if it wasn’t for Pana Community Hospital,” replied Bob.
On the evening of August 19th, Bob Scroggins told his fiancé, Shirley Sinclair that he wasn’t feeling well and he thought she should take him to the hospital. Symptoms included a heaviness in his chest, nausea and sweating. Upon arrival to Pana Community Hospital, the staff immediately began tests including an EKG, lab tests and a chest x ray to determine what condition Mr. Scroggins was in. Staff included ER physician, Dr. Toerne, nursing staff-Julie McAdams RN, Samantha Neighbours RN, Rebecca Siebert RN, laboratory technologist, Gazel Gerochi and Diagnostic technologist Francine Klepzig.
“I remember asking the staff if Bob could use the restroom. Bob was feeling better and seemed to be fine,” stated Ms. Sinclair. The next thing we heard was a loud thud in the restroom and everyone went into immediate action. He had collapsed and was in full cardiac arrest. “We started compressions immediately,” stated McAdams, RN. In between CPR compressions, Scroggins had to be shocked several times. “I was worried we might lose him,” stated Dr. Toerne, but our staff did an amazing job getting him stable.”
“I was so frantic as they were working on him, and I remember Gazel from lab helped to calm me down and helped me make calls for people to come be with me while they transferred Bob,” Shirley recalled.
Mr. Scroggins was managed by the PCH ED team as a Stat Heart patient. Scroggins was transferred to HSHS St. John’s Hospital where he went into the cardiac cath lab to put a stent in the blocked artery. Prairie Cardiovascular Interventional Cardiologist, Dr. Jennifer Davis was on call and performed the emergency cardiac cath. “Pana did all the right things that night,” stated Davis. He would not have made it to Springfield without the Emergency room at PCH.
“We wanted to come to Pana to meet everyone that was there that night and personally thank them for saving my life.” Scroggins has now started Cardiac Rehab at Pana Community Hospital. He and Shirley are thankful the good Lord isn’t finished with him yet.