"We were in the mall shopping and I got this pain in my chest and I could hardly breath. I felt like somebody was punching on me."
Richard Tomkins heart was about to give out...and he had no idea.
Within days of having severe chest pains....he found himself having a five vessel bypass.
"My heart problem came from my dad. I inherited it, but he had never had a problem ever."
His wife Carole also an open heart surgery patient ..... was by his side during his bypass. Tomkins had beating heart or off pump bypass surgery April 22nd.
"The Red lines that you see traversing here, are the coronary arteries and these are vessels that were narrowed in Mr. Tomkins case."
Union Memorial hospital Cardiac surgeon Dr. Lou Dibos performed the surgery.....he says its has many benefits.
"By eliminating the heart and lung machine you're actually eliminating the source of major complications of coronary bypass surgery."
Another plus...a quicker recovery....but in Tomkins case, you might say an amazing one......the scar on his chest is his only visible reminder.
"I kept asking them when can I go home, can I go home."
He was released within 48 hours.
"I started walking within a week. I started off with a mile a day, now I’m up to three or four miles a day."
"Mr. Tomkin just happened to be one of those 20% that we were able to send home before three days."
Richard Tomkins isn't quite running marathons just yet.....but now both Tomkins are loving having healthy hearts.
