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LMHS heart patient donates $38k from ICU bed
LIMA — Bob Reed doesn’t remember much about what happened Monday. He collapsed and was rushed by the Upper Scioto Valley squad to Lima Memorial Health System.
But he knows he woke up, and as soon as he did he made a decision to make a donation to the team that has twice saved his life.
“I was afraid I didn’t have much more time to do it,” he said. “I didn’t want to miss the chance. It was on my mind before, and when I woke up this time I said this is it, we’re going to get this done.”
Reed, of rural Belle Center, calls his donation to the Lima Memorial Foundation little, but it’s nothing to scoff at. The 1,000 shares of Canadian company Imperial Oil Limited that Reed gave are worth more than $38,000.
Dr. Farzin Fotouhi, the same cardiovascular surgeon who fixed Reed’s abdominal aortic aneurism in 2003, performed the emergency surgery to fix the aortic tear Monday. Reed couldn’t be more appreciative.
“They’re wonderful people,” he said. “They give great care, so they should be recognized.”
Though Reed remains in the cardiovascular intensive care unit, his recovery has been good. The tear led to partial paralysis of his legs. He can wiggle his toes, but for the time being he can’t do much else. He hopes to be able to recover fully, but the critical nature of his condition put things in perspective. “I’m thankful to be alive even if I do have a disability,” he said.
Thankful and lucky. Julie Neu, vice president of nursing, said the procedure done to save Reed’s life has a mortality rate of 75 percent, “meaning 75 percent of the patients probably would not survive. He’s a strong man and this is a skilled team,” she said.
The stock will be sold with the profits going into the foundation’s general fund.
“It’s a very generous gift from Mr. Reed and on behalf of the caregivers, I couldn’t be more proud to accept that,” Neu said.
And Reed is proud to recommend Lima Memorial, though he quickly followed that up with one little addition and a laugh.
“I hope I don’t come back.”
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