“He saved my life”: Corbin patient grateful for cardiologist’s intuition
Sometimes it’s a doctor’s intuition, and the thoughtful decision to take a closer look, that makes all the difference. It’s what saved Laurie Snyder’s life.
Laurie, a 57-year-old Corbin resident, was preparing for spinal fusion surgery and visited Pramod Reddy, MD, at Baptist Health Corbin for routine heart clearance. She had no known heart issues.
“I wasn’t having any symptoms,” Laurie recalled. “I was just there for pre-op.”
But Dr. Reddy, described by Laurie as “gentle and calm,” sensed something wasn’t right.
“He held my hand, looked at me, and said, ‘You’re really clammy. I was going to clear you, but I just don’t feel right about it.’”
Instead of signing off on her surgery, Dr. Reddy recommended a heart monitor, even shortening the usual 30-day wear time to one week to avoid delaying her operation.
“He told me, ‘It’s your choice, but I have a gut feeling,’ and I said, ‘I trust you. Let’s do it.’”
That decision saved her life.
The very next day – Laurie’s birthday – Dr. Reddy’s office and the monitoring company both called urgently. They’d seen troubling readings from her heart.
“They told me if I felt anything – chest pain, dizziness, weakness – I had to go straight to the ER,” Laurie recalled.
Laurie felt something. She didn’t hit the panic button – blaming acid reflux instead. It wasn’t until the next day, when she started feeling that same weakness, that her husband insisted they go to the ER.
It wasn’t long before she found out she had heart block and would need a pacemaker.
“I should not be here,” Laurie said. “They said I should’ve hit the floor at 11:38 a.m. on my birthday. Dr. Reddy could tell something was wrong. Had he not done his due diligence and put the monitor on me I would have died.”
Today, Laurie lives with a pacemaker and a deep appreciation for the people at Baptist Health Corbin—especially Dr. Reddy and his team.
“When I saw him after the surgery, I just broke down,” Laurie recalled. “I told him, ‘You saved my life.’ He really did.”
Laurie describes Baptist Health Corbin as more than a hospital.
“They treat me like family,” she said. “They get me in right away. If my pacemaker readings show anything strange, they call me and say, ‘Miss Laurie, come in so we can check on you.’ They don’t scare me.”
Laurie’s gratitude extends to several providers within Baptist Health Corbin – including Erica Almodovar, MD, Aaron House, MD, Chase Noel, DO, and Devin Edwards, PA-C, to name a few. From routine checkups to major surgeries, Laurie says the care she’s received in Corbin far exceeds any she’s had elsewhere.
“They’ve gone above and beyond for me, over and over,” Laurie said. “When I had spinal surgery at another hospital, Baptist Health still called to check on me – because I’m their patient. No other hospital has ever done that. They don’t hesitate – that's Baptist Health.”
Laurie’s story is a powerful testament to the life-saving impact of compassionate care available right in southeastern Kentucky, made possible by generous donors who believe in keeping high-quality care close to home.
“The best doctors are right here,” Laurie said. “They truly care.”
Laurie, a 57-year-old Corbin resident, was preparing for spinal fusion surgery and visited Pramod Reddy, MD, at Baptist Health Corbin for routine heart clearance. She had no known heart issues.
“I wasn’t having any symptoms,” Laurie recalled. “I was just there for pre-op.”
But Dr. Reddy, described by Laurie as “gentle and calm,” sensed something wasn’t right.
“He held my hand, looked at me, and said, ‘You’re really clammy. I was going to clear you, but I just don’t feel right about it.’”
Instead of signing off on her surgery, Dr. Reddy recommended a heart monitor, even shortening the usual 30-day wear time to one week to avoid delaying her operation.
“He told me, ‘It’s your choice, but I have a gut feeling,’ and I said, ‘I trust you. Let’s do it.’”
That decision saved her life.
The very next day – Laurie’s birthday – Dr. Reddy’s office and the monitoring company both called urgently. They’d seen troubling readings from her heart.
“They told me if I felt anything – chest pain, dizziness, weakness – I had to go straight to the ER,” Laurie recalled.
Laurie felt something. She didn’t hit the panic button – blaming acid reflux instead. It wasn’t until the next day, when she started feeling that same weakness, that her husband insisted they go to the ER.
It wasn’t long before she found out she had heart block and would need a pacemaker.
“I should not be here,” Laurie said. “They said I should’ve hit the floor at 11:38 a.m. on my birthday. Dr. Reddy could tell something was wrong. Had he not done his due diligence and put the monitor on me I would have died.”
Today, Laurie lives with a pacemaker and a deep appreciation for the people at Baptist Health Corbin—especially Dr. Reddy and his team.
“When I saw him after the surgery, I just broke down,” Laurie recalled. “I told him, ‘You saved my life.’ He really did.”
Laurie describes Baptist Health Corbin as more than a hospital.
“They treat me like family,” she said. “They get me in right away. If my pacemaker readings show anything strange, they call me and say, ‘Miss Laurie, come in so we can check on you.’ They don’t scare me.”
Laurie’s gratitude extends to several providers within Baptist Health Corbin – including Erica Almodovar, MD, Aaron House, MD, Chase Noel, DO, and Devin Edwards, PA-C, to name a few. From routine checkups to major surgeries, Laurie says the care she’s received in Corbin far exceeds any she’s had elsewhere.
“They’ve gone above and beyond for me, over and over,” Laurie said. “When I had spinal surgery at another hospital, Baptist Health still called to check on me – because I’m their patient. No other hospital has ever done that. They don’t hesitate – that's Baptist Health.”
Laurie’s story is a powerful testament to the life-saving impact of compassionate care available right in southeastern Kentucky, made possible by generous donors who believe in keeping high-quality care close to home.
“The best doctors are right here,” Laurie said. “They truly care.”
“They’ve gone above and beyond for me, over and over. When I had spinal surgery at another hospital, Baptist Health still called to check on me – because I’m their patient. No other hospital has ever done that. They don’t hesitate – that's Baptist Health.”
The Dawn of a Healthier Tomorrow
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