Patient Stories

After tripping, Amber Allen escaped tragedy twice in a few weeks.

We're checking in on patients whose stories we've shared in the last five years.

At first, it seemed like any other day. Karl Kirby, age 57, of Zanesville, had just finished doing laundry. And while he felt fine when he woke up that morning, as the day wore on, he began to feel worse.

Most people describe 66-year-old Ken Williams of Zanesville as one of the most active people they know. However, he
noticed changes when he was working out at the gym.

Duane McFarland has experienced strokes, heart attacks, double pneumonia, sepsis and open-heart quadruple bypass surgery. No wonder he values quality healthcare.

In the spring of 2017, Charles found himself taking naps frequently, but something didn’t feel quite right. “I soon realized I wasn’t actually napping, but instead was having blackouts,” explained Charles.

Penny Higgins, 70, had been experiencing the stereotypical heart attack symptoms that often get ignored—chest pain, indigestion, fatigue.

Brad Hollingsworth tests his limits and always has. The 41-year-old has accomplished amazing physical feats even though he has complete congenital heart block, diagnosed when he was about a year old.

JoAnn Grubb had been active her whole life, but the shortness of breath caused by her narrowing aortic valve was slowing her down. “We’d been following my heart valve problem for a couple of years and finally it was at a place where it had to be replaced,” said JoAnn. She went to Genesis HealthCare System to see a cardiothoracic surgeon on the advice of her regular cardiologist, Dr. Abdulhay Albirini.