Earlier this fall, Batesville resident David Lohmueller was working in his yard when he found himself unusually short of breath. Assuming he was coming down with a cold, he dismissed his fatigue. The next morning while getting ready for work, he found it even more difficult to breathe and decided he better go to MMH’s emergency services department.

“As soon as I walked in the hospital and said I was short of breath, the staff jumped to their feet and took me to an exam room,” said David. “There was a sense of urgency, but not a sense of panic. Dr. (Josshua) Schultz was professional and provided thorough explanations. I was able to stay calm because the staff was calm.”

Following a series of tests and imaging scans, Dr. Schultz concluded David had a pulmonary embolism, a blood clot in the lungs which could be life-threatening if not treated immediately. These clots are most common in people who have recently undergone surgery, as was the case for David two weeks prior. Without pause, the emergency team started David on a blood thinner and coordinated immediate transfer to a hospital with a catheterization lab where the clot could be removed.

“As soon as I came out of anesthesia, I felt relief at being able to breathe better,” said David. “Margaret Mary’s staff reacted quickly and communicated clearly. They knew what they were doing and did it well.”