Robert "Bob" Podnar
In May 2022, Bob, suffered a massive STEMI with 100% blockage, but went on to be the "young guy" during his cardiac rehab program at Research Medical Center.
It was the Wednesday before Memorial Day Weekend in 2022 when Robert “Bob” Podnar, a 41-year-old auto-glass installer from Belton, Mo., went from having a normal day working in the garage to suddenly feeling like he had the worst case of heartburn he ever experienced.
Bob went to the doctor the same day complaining about the heartburn and how it was centered around his lungs; he was told it was likely acid reflux and to treat it at home.
“On Friday, I was at home doing stuff around the house while dealing with the heartburn when, as luck would have it, my wife came home at almost the exact same time I started suffering from what I believed to be the ‘widow maker,” Bob said, referring to a heart attack.
He recalls being coherent enough to dial 911 and explain his symptoms.
“When EMS showed up and saw my condition, they knew I was in trouble. We left in the ambulance so quickly that I didn’t have time to say goodbye to my wife. I found out later if I hadn’t called the ambulance and instead opted to be driven to the hospital in our truck, I would have died on the way there.”
Turns out, Bob had suffered an ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), the most severe form of heart attack with 100 percent blockage.
Bob admits he was scared coming to the ER and felt he didn’t adjust well at first because he simply wasn’t ready or emotionally equipped to go through another traumatic experience. Around the same time COVID hit in 2020, his wife of 18 years, Lindsey, had gone through treatment for cervical cancer and breast cancer, leading her to have a double mastectomy. Experiencing that with her took an emotional toll on Bob; he simply wasn’t ready to be the one who had to be cared for.
“The emergency Care team who took me in when I entered the ER was strong, stood up to me in a caring way, and saved my life; I’m forever grateful for them,” Bob said. “I’m also grateful for my ICU nurses who cared for me after my stents were put in; and for Brian [Rieger, Inpatient Cardiac Rehab Supervisor] who placed my LifeVest and explained things in a way that was easy for me to understand. I was treated like they’ve all known me for 30 years.”
After his time in the hospital, where he was treated by interventional cardiologist Dr. Brian Friedman, MD, Bob would go on to complete cardiac rehabilitation. “That was eye-opening for me,” said Bob. “Here I was, a 41-year-old man who was suddenly in classes with patients much older than me and I kept crying to myself, to them and to my care team, asking ‘how could this happen to me?’, or ‘how did I get here?’”
“But everyone in my class was so kind and caring. They would come up to me, look at me and sincerely tell me it does get better.”
Since then, Bob says that he honestly doesn’t feel much different than before his STEMI; that feeling alone was enough to be a wake-up call that he couldn’t have expected or planned for such a thing to happen to him. But, because it did, he can at least be prepared and proactive moving forward.
“I needed the nudge to show me what I could do to help myself. Now that my wife is in remission and I am actively feeling more normal again each day, we go on walks three times a week, and we now have a treadmill.”
Bob was a special guest of the research Medical Center's annual Thankful Families Celebration on November 15, where he was invited back to reunite with his care team who saved his life. When he took to the podium to thank everyone, he simply said an emotional "thank you" before walking over and hugging each member of his care team who attended the event in support of him.