Photo: Pictured are Patrick Arnold, his son, Judson, and his wife, Brandi, with members of the team that saved his life: paramedic Brandon Sutter, Dr. Chris McGee, Dr. Jason Finkelstein and Charley Green. “These guys made this all possible,” Patrick said.

As Patrick and Brandi Arnold eagerly awaited the birth of their first child, Patrick had been complaining of chest pains for over a week. Patrick assumed the chest pains were related to anxiety about work and the upcoming birth of their son. Suddenly, four days before the birth of their son, Patrick suffered a full cardiac arrest.

Wise County EMS paramedics arrived in minutes, applying CPR and using a defibrillator to resuscitate Patrick. In the ambulance, paramedics applied hypothermia treatment, in which cooling blankets are used to lower the core body temperature to 32 degrees Celsius. The cold prevents damage to the brain that can result after blood flow is restored. His treatment continued for the next 48 hours at Wise Regional Health System. Dr. Jason Finkelstein, an interventional cardiologist, inserted two stents to restore blood flow to Patrick’s heart after discovering 100 percent blockage in one of his arteries.

Patrick remained unconscious and on a ventilator for days. Meanwhile, his wife Brandi gave birth to a healthy baby boy, in a delivery room just one floor below his own. About a day after the birth of their son, Patrick began to regain consciousness.

Not long afterwards, Patrick was reunited with Brandi, and their new baby boy named Judson. Patrick was weak and worried about holding their baby alone. But he took his son in his arms, looked down at him and said his name. The seamless transition of care from the paramedics to the treatment at Wise Regional Health System is credited with saving Patrick’s life.

Source: Star Telegram.