‘I died on April 27’: Northland woman grateful for Essentia’s lifesaving care

It's something you never want to hear from a loved one:

"I think I might be having a heart attack."

But in April, that’s what then-51-year-old Cloquet resident Carla Holmes told her fiancé Jason Londgren.

Holmes was experiencing severe back pain on April 27. It wouldn’t go away, so she decided to lie down. Londgren, whose plans to be gone for the evening had fallen through, went to check on her. Holmes knew something was wrong and asked what the symptoms of a heart attack were.

“I’m so thankful he was home because if he wasn’t I might not be here,” said Holmes.

Londgren didn’t hesitate. He knew they needed to get to the hospital. Holmes, who lost consciousness before she could receive lifesaving care, was rushed to Essentia Health-St. Mary’s Medical Center.

“Thinking back on it now, I’m still shocked that it happened,” said Holmes.

Fortunately, the ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) care team at St. Mary’s Medical Center was waiting for Holmes. Led by Dr. Nicole Worden, an interventional cardiologist, Holmes immediately had three stents put in to open up clogged arteries, with a fourth added later.

“Carla’s excellent outcome is a direct result of the talented team that came together to provide care for her,” said Dr. Worden. “We provide first-class care for our STEMI patients because we have built this excellent team over time, with education, outreach and dedication.”

A STEMI is the most severe type of heart attack and has a significant risk of serious complications and death. It is caused by the abrupt closure of a major coronary artery. Holmes’ heart attack was so severe that she was placed on a ventilator and didn’t regain consciousness until May 2, about five days later.

“The care saved my life,” said Holmes. “I wouldn’t be here without Essentia.”

“We have really built a system that provides exceptional care to those experiencing this life-threatening emergency,” said Dr. Worden. “We know people do better with prompt care, so we actively measure our care practices to make sure we are pushing ourselves to be better. From my perspective, I really enjoy doing these procedures more than any other because I know what I do matters to the patient. For some patients the procedure is the reason they survive their heart attack.”

After a couple days of recovery, Holmes was released from the hospital on May 4.

“Dr. Worden was wonderful, and she was so caring,” said Holmes. “I could have easily died that day, and she was genuinely thrilled that I survived. I could tell she really cared about me as a patient.”

A spirited and lively person, Holmes lives with congestive heart failure (CHF), a long-term condition that happens when your heart can’t pump blood well enough to give your body a normal supply.

“Everyone at Essentia is so good at working through this diagnosis with me,” said Holmes. “From the schedulers to the nurses and all the way to the top doctors, they all explain to me what I need to be doing, when and how I need to do it, and how I can adjust to this so I can live a long and healthy life.”

Nearly two months later, Holmes now goes to Essentia’s cardiac rehabilitation classes in Duluth and has routine checkups done at the Essentia Health-Cloquet Clinic.

“The rehab program is awesome. I get one-on-one, personal care that makes me feel really loved, reassured and cared for,” said Holmes. “They monitor everything I’m doing to make sure my heart rate and blood pressure are staying in healthy ranges, and they make the whole process easy and helpful.”

She attends three classes a week and will for a total of 12 weeks. She loves that the care is offered close to home in the city in which she lives.

“Having a clinic available in Cloquet is so convenient,” Holmes said. “Especially for those quick visits. Sometimes, I can drive there, have a quick check-up and be home in about 15 minutes.”

Essentia’s cardiac rehabilitation program is for those who recently underwent heart surgery, stent placement, angioplasty and other heart procedures. It’s a medically supervised program that includes individualized exercise and training programs, nutrition counseling, managing risk factors and more. Studies show the program helps patients recover after a heart problem, prevents heart conditions from getting worse and improves quality of life.

“I’m so proud to have this really great health care system so close to me,” said Holmes. “Essentia is so respected in the world of medicine and I’m so grateful for everything it has provided to me.”

“Essentia provides comprehensive, high-quality cardiovascular care and is a leader in the region and around the state,” said Dr. Worden. “We will do anything we can to provide lifesaving care in a timely manner.”

Holmes said her mind is at ease knowing she has so much support while trying to get healthy again.

“In my mind, I have a new birthday now,” said Holmes. “I died on April 27, 2023, but I have a new birthday thanks to Essentia. They brought me back to life and I’m forever grateful.”

For the last 10 years, St. Mary’s has been honored with the Platinum Award for heart attack care. Awarded by the American College of Cardiology, it’s one of the highest cardiac honors a health care system can achieve, recognizing positive patient outcomes, performance and quality of care. Essentia’s cardiology team has also received several awards, from the American Heart Association, the American College of Cardiology and the Minnesota Department of Health, and is a designated STEMI receiving center by the Minnesota Department of Health.