After working in construction for over 20 years, Brett Faucett knows all about the right building blocks. Piece by piece, a building comes together, but if one brick falls out of line, the whole system can crumble.
That’s why Brett knew something was wrong when the numbness started in his left arm. It came and went several times before he ended up behind the wheel of his car.
Sitting at an intersection, Brett was at a crossroads. He could turn right, attend his out-of-town business meeting, and ignore the sinking feeling inside. Or he could turn left and drive straight to the emergency department at Wellstar Kennestone Hospital.
“It’s really hard when you plan on going to work and you know people are counting on you. It’s hard to make that left turn and listen to your body.”
Brett took a deep breath and turned the wheel toward the hospital, forever changing the course of his life.
BrettCare
Published on February 20, 2020
Last updated 03:28 PM August 21, 2020
From diagnosis to treatment, Brett received cutting-edge cardiac care that saved his life, all from one health system, mere miles from his home.
All heart attacks can be deadly, but a widowmaker heart attack is particularly dangerous. In Brett’s case, we had to act quickly to restore blood flow and prevent any damage to his heart.
- Dr. Salvatore Mannino
Wellstar Cardiologist
Listen to Brett's Story
In the Nick of Time
Though he didn’t know it, Brett was just minutes away from death when he arrived at Wellstar Kennestone Hospital. After a flurry of tests, Dr. Salvatore Mannino discovered Brett was having a “widowmaker” heart attack with a 99.9% blockage.
“All heart attacks can be deadly, but a widowmaker heart attack is particularly dangerous,” explained Dr. Mannino. A widowmaker heart attack occurs when the left anterior descending (LAD) artery, which supplies blood to the front part of the heart, is blocked. “In Brett’s case, we had to act quickly to restore blood flow and prevent any damage to his heart.”
“When you’re 39 years old, you would never think, 'Man, I'm going to be dealing with a heart attack,'” Brett said. “When you're in a situation like that, your world is flipped upside down.”
From the technicians to the physicians, the Wellstar Medical Staff was there to offer support and reassurance every step of the way.
“They did an amazing job of just calming me down, letting me know what was going on, letting me know what my future looked like,” Brett remembered.
For this father of two, his treatment at Wellstar made all the difference. Less than 24 hours later, Brett was released from the hospital with no heart damage, and back home with his wife and kids.
“My family has a dad and a husband because of Wellstar,” Brett stressed. “As much as it’s a shock to the person that has the heart attack, it’s an even bigger shock for the family because they’re the ones that could have been left behind.”
Following his release, Brett went to Wellstar Cobb Hospital for cardiac rehabilitation, a medically supervised education, lifestyle and exercise program for patients with cardiac-related illnesses like heart attacks.
After completing the program, Brett was able to move forward without missing a beat.
Listening to Your Body
A few years later, Brett sat on an airplane heading to Atlanta from a business trip. As the tires lifted from the ground, he broke out in a cold sweat and felt a nagging tightness in his chest.
“It felt like I maybe had bronchitis, just a little tightness. It was a completely different feeling than my first heart issue,” Brett recounted.
Even though he was more than 30,000 feet in the air, Brett knew he had to do something. After notifying the flight attendant of the situation, an EMS team was brought on the tarmac at Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson airport. As soon as the plane touched down, Brett was rushed through downtown to Wellstar Atlanta Medical Center.
“When you have a second heart attack, you just don’t even know what to do,” Brett said, describing the intensity of the situation. “You don’t know how to even process that.”
After undergoing tests in the cardiac catheterization (cath) lab, Dr. Paul Douglass discovered a 40% blockage in a vessel that ran across the front of Brett’s heart. The cardiologist cleared the blockage immediately.
“It turns out Mr. Faucett had a new lesion that caused his second heart attack. Luckily, this time his artery didn’t require a stent.” Dr. Douglass recalled, noting that a stent helps prop the artery open, decreasing its chance of narrowing again. “However, to prevent a heart attack in the future, he was placed on a strict diet and aerobic exercise plan.”
After two days in the ICU, Brett was feeling like himself again.
During it all, Brett fondly remembers how Dr. Douglass treated him throughout the process. “He took a lot of time with me explaining everything. He made me feel at ease and helped me understand what was going on.”
To this day, Brett still regularly sees Dr. Douglass for any of his cardiovascular needs.
“Dr. Douglass walks the walk. Literally.” He laughed, remembering how he once called the cardiologist and caught him on the treadmill.
But Dr. Douglass wasn’t the only one helping Brett during his recovery.
“Caring for patients is a team effort with both the physician and the family,” Dr. Douglass said about Brett’s health journey. “His wife and children were instrumental in his recovery. They helped cheer him on through cardiac rehabilitation so he could achieve his health goals.”
Expert Heart Care
From diagnosis to treatment, Brett received cutting-edge cardiac care that saved his life, all from one health system, mere miles from his home. Brett and his entire family continue their wellness journey with Wellstar, whether that’s making sure he stays healthy or scheduling routine check-ups for his two kids at Acworth Health Park.
“Wellstar covers all my family's health needs,” Brett said about the comprehensive care he and his family have received. “The way Wellstar has taken care of us is world-class. We feel like we’re the only patients they have.”
One of the biggest lessons Brett has learned is to listen to his body as he gets older. “When you’re younger you feel like you’re bulletproof, and nothing could ever happen to you. One thing I would advise is making sure that all men of all ages have some kind of health screening at least once a year.”
Brett knows his cardiac episodes are just a couple of chapters in his health story. To keep making progress, he must continue to choose to live a healthy lifestyle and be an active participant in his wellness. But with Wellstar, he doesn’t have to do it alone.
“Everyone has a health story that gets written,” Brett said. “And there is no other place that I would want my story written than at Wellstar.”
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Highlights
Tracking Prostate Cancer in High Definition with PSMA Imaging
Wellstar patients will be among the first in Georgia to benefit from a new, FDA-approved imaging technology that detects the extent of prostate cancer earlier and with greater accuracy than current imaging methods.
This diagnostic agent called PYLARIFY (piflufolastat F 18) is given to patients as an injection. Once it is in the body, it binds to PSMA, or Prostate Specific Membrane Antigens. Prostate cancer cells usually have a higher level of PSMA.
When used with PET scans, this innovative technology gives physicians a clearer image of prostate cancer lesions and enables providers to determine the best course of treatment.
“We have the most sensitive PET scan for prostate cancer available,” said Wellstar Radiation Oncologist Dr. Justin Hart.
Wellstar is among the first in Georgia to routinely offer PSMA PET scans with PYLARIFY.
While standard scans have limited sensitivity for prostate cancer, this advanced imaging is much more capable of identifying prostate cancer, which allows Wellstar doctors to determine if the cancer is limited to the prostate or if it has spread to other parts of the body.
“It allows us to make sure we’re not missing any sites of cancer that aren’t picked up with old-school imaging,” said Wellstar Urologist Dr. Justin Watson. “If there is an area of cancer outside what we’d typically treat and we pick it up with this imaging, we can make sure we address that area, too.”
Providers can then tailor treatment to each patient’s individual needs, collaborating with the patient to find the best course of action and improve outcomes.
“It’s actionable information to make sure patients get the right treatment. It makes all the difference in the world,” Dr. Hart said.
Dr. Hart and Dr. Watson compared the new imaging technology to upgrading a 20 inch tube style TV from 1981 to a 60 inch LCD flat screen TV today.
“This is several leaps forward in our ability to see prostate cancer on a scan in high resolution,” Dr. Watson said. “In the older scans, things are difficult to see and sometimes not even perceptible, and with the new scans, they light right up and we know much better what we’re dealing with.”
This PSMA imaging is currently available at Wellstar Kennestone Hospital, with plans to expand to other locations.
Men between the ages of 55 and 69 should discuss prostate cancer screening with their primary care providers, and men who are at higher risk may need to start screening earlier. Your Wellstar physician will get to know your health needs and history, then work with you to decide whether you might benefit from screenings.
If you have been diagnosed with prostate cancer, talk to your provider about whether PSMA imaging should be part of your care plan. To learn more about prostate cancer treatment at Wellstar, visit our prostate cancer page or call 1 (877) 366-6032.
Newsroom
Wellstar Kennestone Hospital Begins Planned Construction and Expansion Project
Wellstar Health System, one of the largest and most integrated healthcare systems in Georgia, is announcing that the planned construction and expansion project to further enhance patient services and facilities will begin at Wellstar Kennestone Hospital on December 20, 2021. During construction, the Church Street entrance to Wellstar Kennestone Hospital will be closed.
WHEN: Starting December 20, the covered walkway from the hospital’s Blue Parking Deck to the main entrance will be replaced with a temporary covered sidewalk, shifting the Labor & Delivery Entrance and Drop-Off to inside the Blue Parking Deck at the existing Kennestone Outpatient Pavilion (699 Building) entrance. To access the Labor & Delivery entrance, visitors will need to use Kennestone Hospital Boulevard, off Tower Road, then follow the signs into the covered Blue Parking Deck.
Wellstar Kennestone Hospital is taking the following steps to minimize the impact on patients, team members, providers, and the community:
- The main lobby entrance will remain open, as will Kennestone Hospital Boulevard.
- Visitors who park in the Blue Parking Deck can use the temporary sidewalk into the main lobby or enter the hospital through the Purple Tower.
- The new Labor & Delivery entrance location is covered, with ample space for curbside drop-off. The area will be open 24 hours a day and fully staffed to welcome and direct patients to their destination.
- Signs will be posted on the construction barricades, in the parking deck, and in the hospital corridors to guide visitors to their desired location.
- Traffic directors will be stationed outside the hospital lobby to help visitors navigate the changes.
WHY: Wellstar Kennestone Hospital is prepping the site for the proposed expansion project and new patient tower. Wellstar is developing the new tower to expand its women and children services, enhance campus amenities, and address community requests for more private rooms. The new tower will replace the current Baird Building and is expected to open in mid-2025.
To see the latest updates on the project, visit the Wellstar Kennestone Hospital web page.
Newsroom
Wellstar Health System Opens Pediatric COVID-19 Vaccination Clinics to Enthusiastic Community Response
Wellstar Health System has opened two pediatric COVID-19 vaccination centers following the United States Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) of the COVID vaccine for existing Wellstar pediatric patients aged 5 to 11. Wellstar began offering COVID vaccinations for children under age 12 the weekend of Nov. 5 and quickly filled more than 100 vaccination appointments on the first day. To date, nearly 2,000 appointments have been scheduled through January 2022. The Wellstar pediatric COVID vaccination sites are currently located at the East Cobb and Acworth Health Parks, and parents and caregivers are encouraged to schedule a vaccination appointment with their children’s pediatrician.
“During the COVID pandemic, Wellstar has remained dedicated to protecting our practitioners, patients, and the children of our communities,” said Dr. Avril Beckford, chief pediatric officer for Wellstar Health System. “We are incredibly excited by the high demand and interest in pediatric vaccinations and proud of the families who have taken the important step to vaccinate their children to offer some of our youngest patients protection against COVID.”
Wellstar’s COVID pediatric vaccination clinics include waiting rooms for families to relax in while their children are vaccinated. In addition, parents can also schedule follow-up visits, including the second vaccine dose and other important immunizations while waiting.
“I decided to get my two children ages five and seven vaccinated,” said Hunter Carlson, executive director of Health Parks and Pediatric Center for Wellstar Health System. “The kids had a great time and enjoyed interacting with the physicians and staff. In addition to wearing masks, the vaccine will give my children and family an extra layer of protection against the disease.”
The best protection against COVID-19 is prevention, vaccination and stopping community spread. Be sure you and your family members who are age five and up get the COVID-19 vaccine. Parents can also help protect their children’s health by teaching them the 3Ws—wear a mask, wash your hands and watch your distance.
For more health tips and information on how to schedule pediatric vaccinations, visit our Pediatric Care During COVID-19 page.