The Left Turn That Saved Him – Carey’s Heart Story

To put it lightly, Carey is a busy guy. He’s the Director of Information Technology and 911 Central Dispatch for Pearl River County. He’s also the Sports Director at WRJW radio and serves as a co-host for the Morning Drive Monday through Friday. Carey loves learning about United States history, and he’s also passionate about sports broadcasting for Picayune High School, Pearl River Central High School, and Pearl River Community College. He’s got a simple approach to life – “Try to make something better than you found it and make people smile and laugh.”

Carey distinctly remembers the day everything changed. He reflects, “I told my wife I just don’t feel right.” His wife, knowing his heart health history, suggested they check his blood pressure. The numbers on the blood pressure cuff read 231 over 150, well into stroke level. “She said the machine must be wrong.” They would soon find out it wasn’t.

What followed was a visit to the nearest emergency room, where after some time, his blood pressure decreased slightly, and he was discharged. Carey’s son and daughter-in-law are both in the medical field and weren’t satisfied with how elevated his levels were. It took some convincing, but that afternoon, Carey and his wife decided to go back to the hospital. They had a choice – turn left to go to Memorial or turn right to go toward Slidell, Louisiana. He shares, “And this is weird, but I felt like God was telling me to go left. So, I said we’re going to Memorial.”

Getting Answers

By the time he arrived at Memorial Hospital Gulfport, his blood pressure was back up to 200 over 135. “They said they couldn’t believe I hadn’t had a stroke or anything.” While at Memorial, Carey was assessed with an angiogram and learned he didn’t have any blockages. His cardiologist, Dr. Bassam Baroudi, recommended a new medication to help with his blood pressure. Carey started feeling better over the next couple of days.

A few days later, as he was working in the yard, Carey told his wife that something was off again. “I couldn’t catch my breath.” He learned he was suffering from atrial fibrillation (A-Fib), and after an EKG, he was told he would need an ablation treatment to help get his heart back in rhythm.

He underwent his first ablation in New Orleans, but the experience left him shaken. The procedure was changed at the last minute without discussion, and afterward, he felt physically and emotionally battered.

A New Direction

A friend stepped in and urged him to seek care closer to home. That advice led him to Dr. Judson Colley and his team in Gulfport, which was a turning point he still talks about with gratitude.

From the moment he arrived, the experience felt different. “They connect with you the minute you walk in that door,” he said. “They’re on top of their game.”

Dr. Colley and Nurse Practitioner Hunter Middleton spent hours reviewing his records, explaining what had happened, and outlining a clear plan. “We can get you fixed and here’s how we’re going to do it,” they told him. For the first time in a long time, Carey felt hope.

A Successful Ablation

The ablation was successful. The difference was immediate and profound. He has so much gratitude for his care team, including Physician Assistant Jessica Blair, who works with Dr. Colley, as she continued to check on him and comfort him. He shares, “She’s very thorough. But the whole Cath Lab group are some of the best people I’ve been around. I mean that sincerely.”

While the ablation helped him get his heart back into regular rhythm, he still needed a long-term treatment for his A-Fib. In a follow-up appointment, he sat in an exam room and saw a poster for the Watchman. “I said to Hunter, can I do that?” They checked to see if he was a candidate, and it turned out he was. He had the Watchman procedure a couple of weeks following his ablation treatment.

“I don’t feel like there’s a big old bag on my back anymore,” he said. “Somebody just took it off. I have got a lot on my plate, but I don’t feel tired. I would go some days, you know, prior to this last ablation, and I’d be worn out. I mean, I’m 66 years old. There are people I work with in their 30s, and they say I run circles around them now.” His sleep improved. His energy returned. He stopped checking his heart rhythm every 30 minutes. He started living again.

Sharing to Help Others

Today, Carey shares his story with anyone who will listen…not for sympathy, but to encourage others who may be suffering in silence.

“You don’t have to live like that with uncertainty and getting out of breath,” he tells them. “There’s an answer right there for you.”

He believes deeply in the expertise available in Gulfport and often reminds people that world class care doesn’t always require traveling across the country. “Be assured you’re going to get a thorough evaluation,” he says. “And it’s going to be explained to you in detail.”

Carey and Dr. Colley on WLOX

Learn more about Memorial’s heart health services. Click the button below!