Lori and Billy Fowler

With a hurricane barreling its way towards Florida, Lori Fowler and the rest of the staff at Putnam Hospital prepared to meet the needs of their community should it take a hard hit by the storm. Ms. Fowler works as a night-shift Unit Secretary in the hospital's Emergency Department.

"When a storm is coming, assigned personnel report to the hospital and plan on staying until the threat is over," she said. "I knew I would be there but my husband and I were told to evacuate our home so he and my grandson came to the hospital as well. That day he mentioned that he was feeling a little short of breath but we didn't think much of it, just thinking it was stress related."

On the day after the hospital was given the all-clear and Lori and her family were able to go home. "When we arrived home I took a shower and went to bed. We were pretty tired. My husband was still feeling short of breath but it still didn't send up red flags," she said. "Then around 10:00 p.m. I heard him get up out of his recliner. He said his chest hurt. He took a couple of aspirin but that didn't have much effect. Then he passed out."

Ms. Fowler said she knew she should have called 911 but living on a country road that was still flooded from the storm, she decided to drive her husband to the Emergency Room. "I called ahead and let them know I was coming," she said. "When we arrived they took him straight in and by the time I parked the car he was already being seen by the doctor."

Her husband was having a heart attack and was being sent to the cardiac catheterization lab. "Under normal circumstances that late at night, the cath lab team would have to be called in, but because of the hurricane, they were all still there," she said. "It turned out to be a perfect storm for us." Her husband was diagnosed with total blockage of his main coronary artery and had a stent placed to open it. He later received a second stent but the first saved his life. "I've lived in Palatka all of my life," said Ms. Fowler. "We have a lot of friends and family that either work at the hospital or count on it when they need medical care. For me, as an employee, Putnam Hospital is like my family. The cath lab team and the ER staff were just wonderful to me and my husband. I'm proud of this hospital and so grateful for everything they did for us in our time of need!"