DALLAS, Texas — Bobby Watkins, NRCMA, scheduled patient appointments, checked vitals, drew blood samples and helped the office physician with inpatient procedures. He forced a smile while suffering with his own ailments, which included pain in his jaw, neck and shoulder, along with abnormal forgetfulness.

“The pain was becoming unbearable,” said Watkins, who works for Texas Health Surgical Specialists, part of Texas Health Physicians Group. “My unexpected cognitive decline was confusing and scary. Then, when I suddenly began dealing with constant shortness of breath, I knew I had to do something.”

Bobby Watkins, NRCMA

Watkins, a certified medical assistant and nursing student — who happens to be a leg amputee with a family history of diabetes, heart disease and kidney disease — is back at work after spending nearly two weeks in Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas after a complex heart surgery and more time at home recovering. Now, Watkins is empowered with renewed energy and determination as he pursues his dream of helping others, starting with sharing his story so others will take their symptoms seriously.

Receiving a diagnosis

Thinking his symptoms were possibly cardiovascular concerns, Watkins called someone who understood the details of his complicated medical history, his friend and former supervisor, Tulika Jain, M.D., a cardiologist on the medical staff at Texas Health Dallas and a member of Texas Health Heart & Vascular Specialists, a Texas Health Physicians Group practice*.

Jain immediately ordered a stress test to analyze the blood flow to Watkins’ heart and a cardiac coronary angiogram to search for blockages in his arteries. Three arteries attempting to supply blood to his heart were severely blocked with plaque, or hardened fatty deposits.

Watkins was diagnosed with coronary artery disease, which is linked to cognitive impairment and affects more than 20 million adults in the U.S. It’s also the most common type of heart disease in the country, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Jain said Watkins’ extreme shortness of breath and constant pain in the chest and shoulder areas are common symptoms of coronary artery disease.

“Mr. Watkins is a very motivated and health-conscious person, but dealing with all of those symptoms put a halt to him exercising at the gym,” she said. “Without surgery, he was at risk for heart attacks and other complications that could become fatal.”

Receiving quality cardiac care

Watkins’ treatment required coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) – in his case, a triple bypass, which is a type of surgery using three healthy blood vessels (grafted from a leg vein or arteries from the chest or arm) to replace damaged coronary arteries. The complex surgery is one of several treatment options offered at Texas Health Dallas, a Comprehensive Heart Attack Center certified by The Joint Commission.

The hospital earned the certification two years ago, making it the first in Texas to do so. The distinction also enables the team to care for the most critically ill cardiac patients in North Texas, said Andres Leal, M.D., a cardiothoracic surgeon on the medical staff at Texas Health Dallas and a member of Texas Health Heart & Lung Surgical Specialists, a Texas Health Physicians Group practice*.

Based on his family history of diabetes and kidney disease, Watkins knew he was one of those critically ill patients.

“I’ve been on dialysis, I’ve had a kidney transplant, two hip replacements and even had my left leg amputated below the knee,” Watkins said. “With 32 surgeries under my belt, they seemed to be a natural occurrence in my life, but when they said I needed a triple bypass, I was deathly afraid and was inconsolable for three days.”

The day before his surgery, Watkins met Leal, and his outlook changed.

“He was kind, and he put me at ease,” Watkins said. “I knew I was going to be safe, knowing he was the one who would have his hands on my heart.”

At Texas Health Dallas, Leal enjoys working collaboratively with cardiovascular ICU nurses and respiratory and physical therapists, along with physicians on the medical staff specializing in cardiothoracic surgery and critical care.

“The necessary resources are in place to help individuals leave feeling better than when they arrived.”

Receiving renewed energy, enjoying life

After major heart surgery, Watkins completed his nursing school final exam from his hospital bed and less than two months later is back at work and the gym.

“I work out at the Texas Health Finley Ewing Cardiovascular & Fitness Center Dallas, and they help me determine what and how long I should exercise, so I don’t stress out,” Watkins said.

“I’ve been through so much, but as a medical assistant, my journey has translated into an enormous amount of empathy for my patients,” Watkins said. “As a former cardiac patient and future nurse, I’ll continue to share my journey with others and let them know life is too short. You must grab it, hold on to it and enjoy every minute.”

*Physicians employed by Texas Health Physicians Group practice independently and are not employees or agents of Texas Health Resources hospitals.