My heart care was "stellar" …

With 9 Stents, heart patient Roger Schwoerer cherishes the opportunity to create even greater value for his life in the years ahead.

Roger Shwoerer, 54, who lives not far from Stamford Hospital with his wife and three children, had no worrisome health symptoms till one afternoon when, taking his son from his car seat, he felt a sharp jolt in the middle of his back and nearly passed out. Because his father had died of heart disease in his sixties, the New York Times executive decided to see primary care physician Anthony Katsigiannis MD, who urged him to have a calcium score coronary CT.

Schwoerer says he will be forever grateful for that, since his score of 3900 (anything over 400 is worrisome) got everyone's attention, including his own, quickly. He scheduled an appointment with Dr. Thomas Nero, of The Heart Physicians, who had him undergo a few more tests. "I drove home, which took about five minutes," Schwoerer recalls, "and there was already a message from Dr. Nero saying he was concerned about my ejection fraction. I was so impressed with the speed of his response and his level of concern - I thought he was very sharp and methodical while also being caring." Dr. Nero prescribed follow-up tests and within weeks, Schwoerer underwent three procedures, receiving a total of nine stents to open up three major blockages, including a 90% blockage in his right coronary artery and an 80% blockage in his left anterior descending artery.

Though he was not overweight, Schwoerer has lost 20 pounds in the few months since then. " I watch what I eat and control all the things the doctors advise me about, in addition to taking the medications I am prescribed - I'd say that I am adhering to the hilt! I have more energy and I find that I am re-evaluating all the things that are important to me. I could feel sorry for myself, but I choose not to - instead, I see the opportunity to create even greater value from my life, especially as regards my family, friends and the community, in the years ahead."

Noting that the nursing care at Stamford Hospital is exemplary, Schwoerer wants people to know that "we have excellent care right here in Stamford - I'd call it stellar. I have been in major academic medical centers several times in my life and the care I received here at Stamford Hospital is at the very same level. If anyone thinks they have to travel to get great medical care, it's just not true - it's right here, in our own backyard. And … I would add … the food is actually quite good too! Kudos to everyone for getting it all right."