Neither One of Us Would Probably Be Here

Doron Schleifer likes to sleep late, but one morning last August he wasn’t sleeping well at all.

His wife Joyce Carson asked him what was keeping him awake.

“I’ve been having chest pains for a couple hours,” he said.

Incredulous, she moved to call 9-1-1 (which is the right thing to do.) However, Doron insisted that she drive him to the hospital instead.

“They got him into a bed very quickly,” said Joyce. “He had an EKG and it was pretty normal. Then the attending doctor ordered a CAT scan. While Doron was being wheeled away for the scan, he began having a heart attack.”

Doron was immediately taken upstairs to Henry Mayo’s Roberta G. Veloz Cardia Cath Lab, where he had two stents inserted by Henry Mayo physician Tri Trinh, MD. Doron recovered remarkably well, and only a few days later celebrated his 71st birthday with 30 family members and friends. It was, in Joyce’s words, “the best celebration ever.”

“Henry Mayo has such a well-trained staff,” said Joyce. “From the greeters to the nurses to the doctors, every stage of the way was A+.”

Joyce’s opinion was formed not only from Doron’s experience, but also her own.

Four years ago Joyce and Doron were at a Valencia Jersey Mike’s “when all of a sudden I couldn’t lift my coffee cup with my right hand,” Joyce recalls. “I thought maybe it was something to do with the cup, I tried to pick up Doron’s cup and I couldn’t do that either.”

Doron drove Joyce to Henry Mayo’s Emergency Department, “where they triaged me really fast. I was in a bed within five minutes. I was feeling OK so I was texting friends. Then next thing I know I was having a full-blown stroke.”

The Emergency Department staff began treatment immediately (It’s critical to begin stroke treatment as soon as possible after onset of symptoms) and then Joyce was admitted to Henry Mayo’s Wayne and Connie Spears Intensive Care Unit (ICU).

“I spent the weekend in the ICU, but because I was treated so quickly I basically felt fine,” Joyce said. “I spent much of my time walking up and down the hallways.”

Joyce is also a breast cancer survivor. Years ago she was diagnosed and treated at Henry Mayo’s Sheila R. Veloz Breast Center.

Now, as she has for many years, the retired elementary school teacher is an active community volunteer and when she’s not volunteering, she and Doron love to play golf.

“I know some people move to far-off places when they retire,” Joyce said. “I can’t imagine moving away from Henry Mayo!”