Carrying a calf – and missing a warning sign

After working 10-to-12-hour days at his day job, Dan Hunsberger typically turns to his “hobby” – raising beef cattle.

It was a beautiful morning last May and his cattle were “calving” – giving birth.

“I was carrying a 70-pound calf from the pasture. But when I got to the barn, I was completely out of breath and my chest hurt,” said Dan, a 60-year-old Hollsopple resident. “I assumed I was just out of shape, so I kept going – doing what I had to do.”

His wife Mariela, however, insisted that he see a doctor.

His family physician ordered a stress test. Despite failing the test, Dan delayed further evaluation and traveled with Mariela to Argentina to visit her family.

It wasn’t until late November that he agreed to having additional tests. A dye test administered by Dr. Howard Brumberg in Conemaugh’s preventive cardiology unit revealed severe coronary artery disease, including a blockage of nearly 90 percent. Dan was floored.

“I always thought heart attacks involved piercing, stabbing, debilitating pain,” he said. “Instead, I just felt winded. But I was wrong. I was shocked to learn only about 10 percent of the blood was flowing through the affected artery to my heart.”

He pinned his hopes on a stent to reopen the clogged blood vessel and provide a “quick fix.” It did not.

Conemaugh’s Dr. Vinod Kudagi, interventional cardiologist, discovered the blockage was too large to be resolved with a stent.

“I cringed when I heard the words ‘triple bypass.’ But I couldn’t run away from it,” Dan said.

By this time, Christmas was only a few weeks away. His mind was on his wife, four daughters – one returning from Italy where she teaches – and two grandsons eager for a long-awaited holiday celebration.

During a December 4 appointment with Conemaugh cardiovascular surgeon Dr. Savas Mavridis, Dan decided to undergo the triple bypass as soon as possible. So, he jumped at the opportunity to have the surgery the following Monday.

Dr. Mavridis carefully explained exactly what would transpire during the triple-bypass operation. “He was very thorough and didn’t candy-coat anything. He answered all my questions and gave me – and my wife – peace of mind,” Dan said.

In automotive terms, Dan said, “the doctor would reroute the blood to my heart. It’s like driving along Route 219 and detouring to another lane to get away from an accident. You just reroute long enough to bypass the problem area and get back on track.”

His nerves became a bit frayed as the weekend ticked away to the Monday-morning surgery. “But I knew I was in good hands with Doctor Mavridis. And I had prayers coming from friends and family all over the world,” he said.

The surgery began at 9 that morning, and he doesn’t remember anything until he woke up that evening in the Cardiac Care Unit.

“Mariela told me she received text updates throughout the three-hour surgery and that Doctor Mavridis walked with her to the ICU and explained everything that was going on with me,” he said.

The next evening, Dan was walking down a hospital hallway. Four weeks later, he was back at his job – as co-owner of Home Again, Inc. – arranging for shipments of meats, mushrooms, cheese and fruit to be trucked from producers to stores throughout the United States.

Dan isn’t a fan of posting anything on Facebook. But he made an exception in order to heap praise upon the care he received at Conemaugh Memorial Hospital.

“None of this was on my radar. It makes you realize that life is extremely fragile. And it puts priorities in crystal-clear focus. Value your family and friends. We think we're going to live forever. But we're not,” said Dan, who expects to begin cardiac rehabilitation soon at Conemaugh’s East Hills Cardiac Rehabilitation Center in Richland.

“I have so many people at Conemaugh to thank for saving my life. They’re all very caring and professional. I was very fortunate to get the surgery done so quickly, rather than waiting in long lines like people do in most other places,” he said.

“Based on recommendations from friends and doctors I know, I was really happy to have the surgery at Conemaugh. It struck me how lucky we are to have such top-notch physicians and cardiac care right here.”

While Dan works to regain his strength through rehab, he’s taking things a bit slower.

 “I won’t be lifting calves again for a while,” he said. “Instead, my new hobby is making homemade bread – and that makes my family very happy.”