Go Red: Listen To Your Heart

In the midst of 2022, Marney Rowland was an avid walker, logging anywhere between four to seven miles daily. The tread on her sneakers showed her success, and the scale did, too, as she’d begun losing weight and feeling healthier. Dropping 25 pounds, Marney noticed her heart felt like it was skipping beats.

Community Memorial Primary Care Physician, Dr. Kerri Taylor, adjusted some of Marney’s medication – but the condition worsened. When she began to see some kaleidoscope colors in the corners of her eyes, Dr. Taylor referred her to Dr. Avneet Singh, Cardiologist at Community Memorial. “I had seen a cardiologist about six years ago but hadn’t had any abnormal findings,” noted Marney. “These symptoms and everything that came after was unexpected.”

In early November, Dr. Singh’s office performed an EKG (electrocardiogram) on Marney – a test recording the heart’s electrical signal to check for different heart conditions. After seeing some concerning results, a second test was performed immediately following. The next day, the office called Marney and asked her to return for a nuclear stress test, which uses a tracer and an imaging machine to create pictures of the blood flow to the heart. Marney was then sent to Crouse Health in Syracuse for a heart catheterization, a procedure in which a thin tube is guided through a blood vessel in the heart.

“The doctor came in and said I had blockages and needed a five-way bypass, and I was sent to Upstate Hospital, next door, right away,” added Marney. “They kept me a few days, and then I had surgery. Seven hours in the OR for what ended up being a quadruple bypass, then five more days as an inpatient, and I went home.”

Post-op, Marney has some fluid still on her lungs, and her care team adjusts her medications and monitors her blood levels weekly. “Dr. Singh advised I will most likely be on AFib medication for a couple of months, which is common,” stated Marney. “I feel better than I did yesterday but not as good as I’ll feel tomorrow.”

Home recovering, Marney notes the appreciation for her long-time primary care provider. “I’ve seen Dr. Taylor for 20 years, I love her – and now, I’ve got a great Cardiologist with Dr. Singh. He has a great attitude with patients and always lifts me mentally.” Originally from the Oneida and Sherrill area, Marney moved north a few years ago, now traveling for an hour to see Dr. Taylor and Dr. Singh. “When you have a great medical provider you love, it’s worth going the distance to them.”

To learn more about the primary and specialty care services provided within the Community Memorial network, visit www.communitymemorial.org. Community Memorial Hospital is a critical access hospital in Hamilton, NY and offers primary care in five locations; Hamilton, Cazenovia, Morrisville, Munnsville, and Waterville.