Cross Country Cardiac Care

Don’s Story

Don Davis was in Alaska when he learned he needed medical attention for a problem with a wire on his cardiac pacemaker. So after seeing a local doctor for a temporary fix, he completed his summer in Alaska then flew across the continent to Concord Hospital for treatment.

Who flies more than 3,200 miles after being told they have a heart problem? Someone who trusts the specialists at Concord Hospital Cardiac Associates.

Don had a pacemaker implanted at Concord Hospital Center for Cardiac Care in 2008 to help keep his heart rhythm steady. One of the wires, or leads, was defective, so a new lead was installed and the old one was left in. Over time, the defective lead became infected and after attempts at treating the infection with antibiotics failed, his doctors at Cardiac Associates planned to remove it and replace his pacemaker.

Don Davis

In the meantime, Don went to Alaska, where he lived after retiring as an environmental engineer in New Hampshire. While there, the old lead caused more problems, so he and his local doctor called Concord Hospital and had a conference call with Dr. Adam Chodosh, a Cardiac Associates electrophysiologist who specializes in extracting pacemaker leads.

Dr. Chodosh arranged to see Don as soon as he returned from Alaska. Don had a pre-operative conference the day after he landed in Boston in August and delicate surgery to remove the lead and pacemaker a week later, which went well. A new device was implanted after the infection healed.

“I’m doing well and I’m on the road to recovery,” Don says. “I’m very thankful.”

But why fly more than 3,200 miles for heart treatment?

“I trust the doctors at Concord Hospital,” said Don, who had received previous medical care at the Hospital. “I knew Concord Hospital and I think I made the right choice.”

By year’s end, he was healing well, even lifting weights and exercising.