Kathleen Skenesky – Krum, TX – 58 at the time of the event (April 2, 2005)
I am a nurse and was working that night. (I worked nights.) I was on my way to get ice for a patient, and the next thing I knew it was a week later. I was found by a co-worker, blue and with a big gash in my head (from falling). They called a “code” and from the accounts that I have gotten, they did CPR, shocked me and intubated me. They had to do this several times, because I kept going back into v-fib (ventricular fibrillation). Then when they were trying extubate me, they had to continue leaving me on ventilation. My other co-worker went to my car and got my cell phone to call my daughter, and she in turn called the rest of my children.
After having many tests it was determined that there wasn’t any cause and labeled it “sudden cardiac death.” I had a pacemaker-ICD (implantable cardioverter defibrillator) implanted, and then had a pneumothorax and had to have a chest tube.
Nineteen days later I was home. After several months, I could have gone back to work, but the doctor said that I couldn’t drive until I passed the six-month mark without having another attack. So I had to live on my savings for three months—since the doctor also said I was fit to work, which ended my disability benefits. It also put an end to my savings...but I am thankful to be alive!
- SCA Survivor Registry submission