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John&JaninCare

Published on February 20, 2021

Last updated 11:18 AM February 25, 2021

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If “adventure” were a gene, John Petrick surely passed it on to his daughter, Janin.

The father-daughter duo has always wanted to experience everything life has to offer. Together, the pair has survived an avalanche in the Alaskan wilderness, spent the night stranded on a cliff and even made a cross-country move from California to Georgia.

But one thing they never expected to have in common was a rare heart condition.

Instead of putting their shared adventures on pause, John and Janin teamed up with Wellstar in different ways to manage their heart conditions. With an entire team of heart specialists working seamlessly together, the pair found the expert, specialized cardiac care they needed – and it never skipped a beat.

Discovering the “Janin Genome”

For more than two decades, John managed the ups and downs of atrial fibrillation (Afib) and ventricular tachycardia (VT) with specialists in California. But after moving cross-country to Georgia, he had to start over from scratch.

With such complex heart conditions and a more recent diagnosis of congestive heart failure, John knew he couldn’t trust his care to just anyone. At Wellstar, he soon found an expansive, multidisciplinary team – including cardiologists, electrophysiologists and surgeons.

Similarly, Wellstar would also end up helping John’s daughter, Janin, following her treatment for a severe heart episode — one that was strikingly similar to her father’s. After several spells of faintness, Janin was equipped with a Holter monitor, a wearable device that records heart rhythms.

“After just 18 hours, I got a call from my doctor’s office. My electrophysiologist was gravely concerned about the readings,” Janin recalled. “Apparently, the night before, my heart had completely stopped for five seconds. And, at that very moment, I was in a dangerous arrhythmia.”

Just like her father, Janin was diagnosed with VT and an atrioventricular block, which occurs when the electrical signals traveling from the upper chambers of the heart to the lowers chambers is blocked.

She soon got a defibrillator implanted to help keep her heart in regular rhythm. As Janin started to get back on track after the surgery, her doctor felt more answers could be uncovered. At her electrophysiologist’s suggestion, she participated in genetic testing.

At Wellstar, John underwent the same genetic testing to see if any clues about their heart conditions could be uncovered in their DNA. With just a simple blood draw, the Wellstar Genetics team can get an inside look at the hereditary markers for certain genetic conditions.

After sharing so many adventures and similar personality traits, it was no surprise when the results revealed the same exact abnormality in both of their genes.

However, the genetic discovery — playfully nicknamed the “Janin Genome” by John and his daughter — was a first for the heart specialists. While genetic tests for other heart conditions like cardiac disease may be more commonplace, testing for arrhythmic heart disorders like VT is rare.

“When we got the results, they told us, ‘We've never seen this before — such an identical test result, regarding the same gene and the same anomaly affecting heart rhythm,’” John said. “The doctors concluded there may be a genetic connection to our heart problems, and it was worth paying attention to and exploring further.”

The Petricks are now in the process of getting the genetic testing done for the whole family, so all of their loved ones can take charge of their own wellness.

“After we had our testing, it was a starting point for our family,” Janin said, explaining how the genetic testing had a positive ripple effect for her family members. “We encouraged every single one of our blood relatives to go through genetic testing.”

When Janin and I got the results, the doctors told us, ‘We've never seen this before – such an identical test result, regarding the same gene and the same anomaly affecting heart rhythm.

- John Petrick

Wellstar Heart Care Patient

Support from the heart

After managing such complex conditions like Afib and VT for decades, John it almost became second nature for him to deal with stress and anxiety.

“Living with these types of heart conditions is tough. You're either feeling great or you’re being basically knocked silly by a defibrillator shocking you,” John explained. “I usually have some indication that I may be shocked and brace myself, but I still live with that anxiety.”

Now, navigating congestive heart failure and his daughter’s VT diagnosis, John felt like he needed to speak to someone who understood his unique situation. He was surprised to learn Wellstar has a ready resource just for cardiovascular patients.

Dr. Shawn Coyne, a Wellstar clinical health psychologist who specializes in cardiovascular patients, was available to help him work through challenges.

“There actually aren’t a lot of people doing what I do,” Dr. Coyne said about her psychological expertise. “At Wellstar, we wanted to build out a program just for our cardiovascular patients because behavioral health and cardiac health are really closely connected. In fact, cardiac patients are three times as likely to be depressed as the general population.”

John could finally breathe a sigh of relief. With Dr. Coyne’s expertise in cardiac psychology, he didn’t have to explain his condition in depth or medical terminology. She could immediately understand his concerns on a deeper level and help him cope.

Dr. Coyne shared her approach to helping cardiovascular patients, like John, stay positive throughout the process.

“I start with education. I want my patients to understand how depression can affect our cognition and memory,” she said. “The second step is teaching them how to fight depression. We don’t have to be beaten down by it. We can actually fight back with certain skills and changing how we think and what we do.”

Wellstar’s expert care and behavioral health resources helped John feel better physically and mentally.

“Learning to deal with anxiety and cope with stress is a fundamental part of living with a serious heart condition,” John said. “I'm glad to know that there are resources out there that can help people with the psychological effects of their condition.”

Once Janin was diagnosed with VT, she made sure to see Dr. Coyne at Wellstar Kennestone Hospital too, since she knew just how instrumental the cardiac psychologist has been to her father’s care.

“Dr. Coyne is a phenomenal resource for anyone who has any type of heart condition,” Janin said, raving about her experience with the psychologist. “She understands it, but more importantly, she helps you understand it.”

“I have seen Dr. Coyne a few times, and I always walk away feeling better about my own treatment, my own diagnosis and my own future,” she continued.

From specialized heart experts to groundbreaking genetic testing, John and Janin found world-class care for their hearts, bodies and minds right here in Georgia. Along the way, the pair has not only learned to be there for each other, but also advocate for their own health.

“Your health is a cooperative process,” John said. “You have to be involved. You have to be your own advocate.”

The father-daughter duo is now ready to take on their latest adventure: staying heart healthy, together. And, moving forward, they are joined by their Wellstar team every step of the way.

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Shawn Marie Coyne PeopleCare Heart Care
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