Jerry Cain's Rapid Recovery: Embracing Life After Cutting-Edge Heart Surgery

For 61-year-old Jerry Cain, time is a gift -- a gift to spend time with family and doing the things he loves. When he began experiencing symptoms of a heart attack after having one 10 years ago, he knew he needed to act quickly.

Jerry’s discomfort included shoulder pain radiating to his jaw and heartburn. After consulting Dr. Jonathan Hansen, a cardiologist at Providence Heart Institute in Spokane, Jerry learned he had two arterial blockages and insisted on a swift resolution. Unwilling to endure the lengthy recovery associated with open-heart surgery, Jerry was thrilled to discover he was eligible for minimally invasive direct coronary artery bypass. The cutting-edge, robotic-assisted procedure is performed by Dr. Justin Reeves, a cardiothoracic surgeon. 
“It’s not the right treatment for everyone with cardiovascular blockages, but it can be the right one,” Dr. Reeves said. “It just takes a quick phone call to determine if they are a candidate for a less invasive bypass surgery.”sa 
 
“I told him to sign me up,” Cain said. 
A simple repair 
Jerry was eager to proceed with the robotic valve repair, acknowledging its promise of a rapid recovery and minimal disruption to his life. The advanced technology used in minimally invasive robotic surgery allows for precision and efficiency, significantly reducing recovery time compared to traditional methods. 
“We make a five-centimeter incision and use the robot to take the healthy artery off the chest wall and then sew it onto the blocked artery on the ribs,” Dr. Reeves explained. “We can do this procedure while the heart is still beating, avoiding the need to stop the heart and cutting open the breastbone, which is typical in an open-heart surgery.”   
 
Cain went into surgery on a Wednesday and less than 24 hours later his blood flow had returned to normal. He walked from the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit to transfer to the general recovery floor. On a Friday, he was discharged from the hospital. 
“I had heart bypass surgery and I’m going home in a day and a half,” Cain said. “It’s worth every penny. It’s a miracle.” 
“He recovered really well,” Dr. Reeves said. “Jerry had a good attitude and was motivated to recover. It makes a big difference when someone wants to start moving and do deep breathing exercises. If we can get them moving on the first day on surgery and gets them out of the hospital quicker.” 
 
Life after the procedure 
 
As a husband, father of two and grandfather of a three-year-old and 10-month-old – he wants to spend every minute with the people he loves. Especially with his 62nd birthday approaching and a fishing trip on the horizon.

“Time is the most important aspect, and I did not want to give that up,” Cain said. “This allowed me to fix it and resume a healthier life.” 
Cain’s wife, Elizabeth, emphasized the availability of cutting-edge technology available close to home. She knew her husband did not want open-heart surgery, and this option eliminated the need to travel.  
“We are so blessed to have this resource in Spokane,” Elizabeth Cain said. “Dr. Reeves came in on his vacation to do this surgery and was with us every step of the way. You don’t get that kind of care everywhere.” 
Cain plans to return to work as a co-owner of 360 Distributors. While he does mostly desk work, he does travel a lot. His experience underscores the profound impact of minimally invasive robotic coronary artery bypass procedure, enabling him to swiftly return to a healthy and active lifestyle with his family. 
Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center was recently recognized by Becker’s Hospital Review as a top 30 hospital with the lowest readmission rates for coronary bypass. As part of its hospital readmissions reduction program, CMS measures excess readmissions for heart attack, heart failure, pneumonia, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, hip/knee replacement and coronary artery bypass graft surgery. 
Learn more about the Providence Heart Institute by visiting our website.