Sutter Heart & Vascular Institute
Patient Stories
When Diane talks about her beloved father, John, her admiration is evident. “He loved life, and anyone who met him could see that,” she says. “His last years were nearly as enriched as his earlier ones, thanks to the team at Sutter’s Heart Failure Clinic.”
Diane cared for her father for many years, before his death at age 83 in April 2009. “No doubt about it, we were close,” she says. “My wonderful husband Bill and I lived with Dad for more than 20 years. At first, it was mostly for company – to fill the void left by my mother when she passed away. But Dad encountered various health problems through the years and I became his at-home care provider.”
In 2000, John survived a massive heart attack and subsequently began to lead a heart-healthier lifestyle. “He was dedicated to eating right, but I know he cheated every now and then,” Diane laughs. “He was very social, always going out with boys. He kept his spirits up but it was a lot of work for both of us to monitor his health and regulate his habits.”
That changed when John and Diane learned about Sutter’s Heart Failure Clinic. “I wish we had known about it earlier. Everyone there, especially Sarah the nurse practitioner, went above and beyond to care for Dad,” Diane says. “Sarah and her team became my father’s advocates: going out of their way to talk to his doctors and monitor his medications and health. They took a tremendous burden off of me. I will never forget the dedication and kindness they gave us.”
Diane knew of her father’s zest for life and was grateful to see that nurse practitioner Sarah also saw his ability for resilience. “Of course the doctors were key to his medical care,” Diane says, “But people like Sarah bring compassion and devotion to an entirely different level – a level that leads to healing.”
To that end, Diane credits the Heart Failure Clinic’s staff with extending John’s life. “I lived with my father for most of my adult life and served as his live-in care provider for more than a decade. So, I know that he would have died at least two years earlier without the help of Sutter’s Heart Failure Clinic,” she says. “And his quality of life was maintained because they were so diligent in evaluating his medications, lab results and overall wellbeing.”
In particular, Diane is referring to the Sutter’s Tele-Management program, which extends clinical care beyond office visits and hospital stays. “Nora and her staff would call and email us all the time. Sometimes with specific questions or instructions, sometimes just to see how he was doing,” Diane says. “They were the ones who analyzed all his information and proactively initiated treatments and provided advice. In other words, they were angels.”
Both John and Diane appreciated the expertise and dedication of the Heart Failure Clinic staff. “My dad even participated in a clinical trial for Sutter. During the process, his health further deteriorated but he was adamant about continuing to help out with the research,” Diane explains. “The researcher and his cardiac nurses admired him for doing that. Several of them told me so at his funeral – which, I’m honored to say, was attended by many people who work for the Heart Failure Clinic.”
After John’s death, Diane and Bill elected to support Sutter’s cardiac services with financial donations. “I cannot think of a better cause. The care they provided to my dear father is immeasurable, and I will never forget it,” Diane says. “Most of all, I am comforted to know there are some amazing, kind and talented clinicians out there. And I’m grateful they were the ones who took care of my dad.”