Tim Teel is back to riding his Italian-made motorcycle and enjoying time spent with his family.

But, if it weren’t for the swift-moving action of the Lehigh Valley Hospital Health Network Care Team, those Hallmark moments wouldn’t have been, because his heart would no longer be beating.

Teel and his family gathered Wednesday morning at the Lehigh Valley Hospital to reunite with the LVHN Care Team of clinicians who saved his life and celebrate his miraculous recovery.

Teel, of Towamensing Township, used the opportunity to thank the team, which includes MedEvac, Patient Blood Management Program, Lehigh Valley Hospital (LVH) — Carbon emergency department, doctors from Lehigh Valley Heart and Vascular Institute, and more.

Health scare

On May 13, Teel lay on a gurney in the triage area at Lehigh Valley Hospital — Carbon with no heartbeat for more than 10 minutes as doctors and nurses worked to revive him.

Once revived, Teel’s heart later went silent again for a similar period, but just like the first time, returned with the assistance of LVH-Carbon clinicians.

About two weeks before his heart attack, Teel said he complained to his family doctor about pain on his right side of his stomach and thought perhaps he had gallstones.

Ultrasound testing showed no stones and Teel said no problems were noticed on the right side of his heart, which appeared in the ultrasound images.

The weekend before his heart attack, Teel was working on some projects around his home. That next day, he went to work. When he got home in the afternoon, he mowed grass, trimmed weeds and prepared dinner.

His wife, Debbie, was getting off work and called him on her way home. Teel said he was having some chest pain on his left side and his back hurt, too.

Once Debbie got home, Teel said he was feeling better. Suddenly, he began to feel worse and tried to lie down, and he felt much worse.

Teel, 57, told Debbie they needed to go to the hospital immediately. While driving, he told her “Don’t stop for red lights. The closer we got to the hospital, the worse I felt.”

Teel arrived at LVHN’s triage center, where he described his pain as a 9 out of 10. He said his next memory was waking up the next day in an intensive care at LVH — Cedar Crest, where he’d been taken by MedEvac helicopter.

The diagnosis

At LVH — Carbon, Teel’s heart stopped twice during efforts to keep it pumping, each time for 10 minutes or more, as resuscitation efforts continued nonstop. His heart was shocked at least eight times.

It turns out Teel had suffered a “widow-maker” heart attack, where arteries are fully blocked. It is named as such because very few people survive it.

Once Teel’s EKG revealed a possible heart attack, the on-call interventional cardiologist, Shailendra Singh, MD, was contacted and immediately decided to fly Teel to LVH — Cedar Crest so he could further evaluate his cardiac arteries and heart function.

A cardiac catheterization revealed Teel had a totally blocked left anterior descending artery. When Teel arrived at LVH — Cedar Crest, his heart’s pumping capacity was exceptionally low, three times lower than normal. To stabilize his overall circulation, Dr. Singh installed a miniature heart pump to help Teel’s heart rest and relax.

A Jehovah’s Witness, Teel said he had an advance directive against the use of blood products in keeping with his faith, and LVHN’s blood management program played a key role in his treatment to help ensure those wishes were met.

“It’s very common to require blood products for ensuring adequate cell counts in these cases, since blood counts may drop for a variety of reasons,” Singh said. “We took every effective measure to make sure we didn’t need to use any blood products. I utilized all my options to minimize blood loss like we normally do.”

Singh added, “Words cannot describe the incredible feeling of being able to help Tim in his most vulnerable moment. It makes what we do so impactful and very rewarding. It allows us to be part of a story of hope and resilience.”

Singh noted the role of doctors, nurses, and other clinicians at LVH — Carbon cannot be understated.

“Because of their expert emergency care, because of their refusal to give up, Tim was given a chance to get to Allentown and have his blockage cleared and his organ function stabilized,” Singh said. “It really illustrates the value of LVHN hospital care across the region.”

Giving thanks

Teel noted that 35 years ago, his uncle on his dad’s side died from the same kind of heart attack on the way to the former Gnaden Huetten Memorial Hospital in Lehighton.

Teel’s family was grateful for the excellent care he received. In a note to Dr. Singh, they wrote that “all the expertise and knowledge you had shown during his surgeries and procedures saved his life and gave him the best chance of a miraculous recovery.”

These days, Teel is back at work as director of instrument design at famed guitar maker C.F. Martin and Co. in Nazareth, where he’s worked for 38 years.

Teel was joined by his wife, Debbie; daughter, Mallory Kocher; and grandsons, Liam, Marcus, Jackson and Lucas Kocher at LVH — Carbon on Wednesday.

“It was a hard journey,” Teel said. “I feel like a million dollars; I really do.”

Teel was quick to laud the staff of LVH — Carbon and LVH — Cedar Crest for saving his life.

“This is about you guys,” he said. “Without you, it wouldn’t have mattered,” he said.