Saving Katie
An Unexpected Emergency Leads to Wonderful Care
June 27, 2021, began as a normal day for Katie Eicher. She went to church with her husband, Alex, and mother, Mary, then went to her job as an occupational therapist.
Fifteen minutes into her shift, Katie went into cardiac arrest and was taken by ambulance to Munson Medical Center. She spent the following 12 days receiving treatment at the Webber Heart Center, five of which were spent in a medically induced coma.
Thanks to your generosity, Katie had access to the innovative technology, state-of-the-art facilities, and the skilled healthcare providers she needed to recover.
Katie’s physicians used Artic Sun™ technology, brought to Munson Medical Center in 2019 by donor support, to cool her body and slow bodily function. This allowed her brain to focus on healing and reduce possible brain injury after the sudden cardiac arrest.
Staying Together
Mike Adkins, Katie’s father, credits Katie’s positive experience as a patient to her dedicated healthcare team.
“The doctors and nursing staff were comforting, supportive, and helpful,” he shared. “They answered a lot of the questions about what they were doing, what the process was, [and] explained the cooling and what it did. They understood what we were going through and allowed us to be with Katie. That really was important to us, just being together with her.”
During Katie’s hospitalization, her family stayed at Munson Manor Hospitality House on Munson Medical Center’s campus.
“It was nice to come and go as needed, and that we were only minutes away,” explained Mary Adkins, Katie’s mother.
Along with support from family, staff at the Webber Heart Center were with Katie during every step of her recovery. From sharing encouragement during difficult procedures to ensuring Katie and her husband could watch the 4th of July fireworks from her hospital floor, Katie’s care team always had her best interests in mind.
On the Road to Recovery
After finishing inpatient rehabilitation at Munson Medical Center, Katie was strong enough to return home. Today, she continues rehabilitation with Mary Free Bed at Munson Healthcare, a unique rehabilitation partnership for patients in Traverse City. Katie’s doctors have continued to monitor her progress and helped refer her to various specialists for additional genetic testing and treatment.
“If I could say one thing to the doctors, nurses and staff who cared for me, I would say thank you so much for all the support and wonderful care over the last few months,” said Katie.
To honor the team that saved Katie’s life, and to pay it forward for future patients and families, the Adkins donated to the Webber Heart Center.
“I really think it was a miracle that Katie recovered so well,” expressed Mike. “The excellent care the staff provided, the decision making, and the technology that was available - like the cooling blanket - made all the difference. Thank you for saving Katie.”
Support Heart Care Today
Click the button below to make a gift supporting heart care services at Munson Healthcare. Your generosity ensures patients throughout northern Michigan - patients just like Katie - have access to advanced heart care services in their community. Thank you!