Thanks to Alvin, Texas EMS

[emsambulance]

On July 3rd, 2009 while working in my backyard shop I suffered a major heart attack. For almost 30 years I was owner of several private ambulance companies the last being in Houston, Texas. I was boxing up a couple of used Ferno stretchers I had sold to a MIssissippi company. After retiring disabled I have been buying & selling ambulances, stretchers, lightbars, & other EMS related items. We live 12 miles west of Alvin on CR 1462 & in a different EMSD zone. So my mother and sister drove me to Alvin & called ahead to have an ambulance meet us at the new fire station on CR 1462. I was sti9ll barely conscious when we arrived at the VFD. An Alvin Police officer was standing in the parking lot with an AED. As we pulled to a stop the Ambulance also pulled in.

My memory of the trip is very blurred but I remember the ambulance had multiple sirens one of which sounded like a fog horn, and the stopping at traffic signals, then the sound of the diesel engine roaring off again as we took the 25 minute ride to SE Memorial Hospital in Houston. It is the nearest hospital to Alvin. I do remember after arriving the doctor said we must stop your heart & restart it. I was then defibrillated 3 times. I do not remember the first 2 times I was shocked, but the 3rd time worked & I remember the ER physician asking me if I could hear him. I said yes, but for the next few days my memory is a blurr. In & out, here & there I have some brief memories of things and people. 11 days later after spending 10 days in MICU I came home. Then 2 weeks of bed rest. BUt I am now doing well and my strength is coming back. I wish to thanks those that helped to give me a 2nd chance at life, this includes

Alvin VFD, Alvin Police Dept., Alvin EMS, Memorial SE Hospital ER staff, Memorial Hospital MICU staff, and Doctors Robert DeWitt.

May God bless you all!

Louis Bernhardt

[fiznat]

Very cool. Thanks for sharing your story Louis. Hopefully someone from that area sees this and passes it on.

[Gerryalbin]

Louis,

Hang in there. I just retired from 20 yrs on the Emergency Response Team at Honda of America, in Marysville, Ohio.(Before that I spent 21 yrs in the ARMY.

I also had a problem. I suffered a CVA generated by a clot from a PFO(hole in my heart). Last June, they inserted a cardio occluder and that took care of that. I have made a complete recovery.

I also tried to keep my wits about me. When I woke up with the CVA, I did the std cva tests on myself and failed them. So I drove myself to the hospital, called my insurance co and got all that going, and called in to work and let them know, and then...called my wife at her school (I called her last since I knew she would wig out when I told her.) Take it easy and keep involved with the EMS business. Sincerely, Gerry Albin albingerry@yahoo.com

[Dustdevil]

Thanks for dropping in, Louis. Glad to hear everything worked out well for you in what must have been a very scary time. An old partner of mine from the seventies was the director of the Alvin Community College paramedic programme, last time I heard. I trust he has prepared his students well.

Here's to many happy returns, Bro!