April 1, 2024
Pictured from left to right are Dr. David Homan, patient Russell Carrier, and Dr. Siby Ayalloore at the CIS Opelousas clinic.
Symptoms started for Russell one evening and persisted into the morning. “I felt tired and exhausted. I was very short-winded and lightheaded,” he remembered. “I could hardly get dressed that morning, and that’s when I called my daughter to take me to the hospital.”
Russell was taken to Opelousas General Health System (OGHS), where he was diagnosed with deep vein thrombosis, a blood clot in a vein of his leg. His condition was life-threatening because it had evolved into a pulmonary embolism, when a clot breaks loose and travels to the lungs. He was taken into the cath lab for an emergency clot removal, or thrombectomy. This is a minimally-invasive procedure where a cardiologist uses a catheter to go through the groin to quickly remove a blood clot in the lungs.
Already a CIS patient of Dr. Siby Ayalloore in Opelousas, Russell’s emergent procedure was done that day by Dr. Ayalloore’s colleague and doctor on-call that day, Dr. David Homan, CIS interventional cardiologist. The procedure went well, and Russell was thankful for the care and concern he received from his doctors. “I really like Dr. Siby a lot,” he said. “He fit me into his schedule and showed genuine concern, checking on me regularly, and letting my wife and daughter know I was doing okay.” Russell went home two days later and was able to resume his normal activities.
Now, he is able to continue doing what he loves, like working in his garden, playing with his dog, taking walks, and enjoying his retirement. He continues to see Dr. Ayalloore at CIS in Opelousas for his follow-up care. He is thankful for the care he received from CIS and OGHS. “They served me well,” he said.
To learn more about deep vein thrombosis or pulmonary embolism, check out Episode 2 of our podcast, the Cardiovascular Pulse!