Local Heart Attack Treatment Saves Owner of Pokey's BBQ

Ric Schuyler could tell that the pain wasn’t just heartburn. It felt like a horse had kicked him in the chest.

He got in his car the night of January 7, 2019, and began to drive to the hospital from his home northeast of Gillette. Soon Ric couldn’t take a full breath and had tunnel vision; he barely made it to the Campbell County Memorial Hospital Emergency Department.

Ric was having a heart attack, and Dr. Sairav Shah was the cardiologist on call that night. Dr. Shah and the Cath Lab team quickly performed a procedure to open a blocked artery in Ric’s heart. Rick remembers watching the whole procedure on the monitor in the Cath lab, and felt instant relief from the pain.

“Acute myocardial infarction (a heart attack) from a blocked coronary artery is a very serious medical condition,” said Dr. Shah.

“Sometimes a heart attack can lead to a very fast, abnormal heart rhythm which can cause a cardiac arrest. It is never a good idea to try and drive yourself to the hospital. The 911 emergency system is there so monitoring of vital signs and heart rhythms, and initial stabilization can begin even before the patient gets to the hospital.”

That wasn’t the end of the story. Ric had experienced a significant heart attack, and also needed heart surgery.

Now, a little over a year later, Ric has established a relationship with a primary care provider for regular check-ups and follow-up cardiology visits. He’s back to his usual schedule as the owner of Pokey’s BBQ, and shares some advice he wishes he would have taken himself: If you are having chest pain and think it might be your heart, call 911 immediately!

Cardiologists in Gillette, Wyoming
Our highly skilled, board certified cardiologists at the Campbell County Medical Group Cardiology clinic are here at all times to care for patients and our cardiac cath lab allows us to provide care quickly during an emergency. And, we can help get you back to your daily routine after a heart incident with our Cardiac Rehabilitation program. Our board certified cardiologists use these and other tools to diagnose and treat heart problems as the first cardiologists living and working in Gillette. For more information, call 307.688.3700 or visit www.cchwyo.org/heart.

At the first signs of heart attack, call 911. Do not lie down to see if the symptoms pass, or drive yourself (or as a friend to drive you) to Campbell County Memorial Hospital. Call 911.