Houston, MO— “The next time you come in here, you may not make it.”
Those were the words Les “Pops” Eyman of Success, Missouri, heard from Paul Schaefer, DO, Emergency Medicine Physician at TCMH. Although Eyman’s initial blood work did not indicate he was having a heart attack, Dr. Schaefer knew something wasn’t right.
That conversation would ultimately lead to a series of events that Eyman believes saved his life.
“I knew I wasn’t getting better,” Eyman said. “I’d been having shoulder and arm pain, wasn’t eating much, and just didn’t feel right. The blood work came back okay, but Dr. Schaefer looked at my history and listened to what I was telling him.”
Eyman has an extensive cardiac history, including atrial fibrillation, a pacemaker, a previous stent placement, and a cardiac ablation. Despite reassuring lab results, Dr. Schaefer urged him to contact his cardiologist immediately after leaving the emergency department.
“He looked me straight in the eye and said, ‘The next time you come in here, you may not make it,'” Eyman recalled. “He told me to call my cardiologist as soon as I got to the car.”
Eyman and his wife, Maureen “Mo” Eyman, followed that advice without hesitation.
“My husband called before we even left the parking lot,” Maureen said. “Dr. Schaefer made us understand how serious the situation could be.”
Their cardiologist quickly arranged additional testing in St. Louis, including a cardiac PET scan followed by a heart catheterization. The results confirmed severe coronary artery disease.
Only days later, Eyman underwent emergency double coronary artery bypass surgery.
“When I heard them say, ‘Put him in a room,’ after my heart cath, I knew something wasn’t good,” Eyman said. “A few days later, the surgeon came in and told me I would be having open-heart surgery that Friday.”
Looking back, Eyman believes Dr. Schaefer’s clinical judgment changed the course of his life.
“The blood work didn’t show a heart attack, but he knew something wasn’t adding up,” Eyman said. “If it hadn’t been for Dr. Schaefer speaking up, I honestly think I might have been lying on the floor at home instead of getting the care I needed.”
According to Eyman, his cardiologist also recognized the importance of the emergency department visit and the recommendation to seek immediate follow-up care.
“The testing confirmed exactly what Dr. Schaefer suspected and that something serious was going on,” Eyman said.
Now recovering at home, Eyman says each day brings improvement. While he expected a long and painful recovery after watching several family members undergo open-heart surgery, he was pleasantly surprised.
“I’m doing better than I ever expected,” he said. “I’m walking every day and getting stronger. Recovery hasn’t been easy, but I’m thankful to be here.”
Recently, the Eymans returned to TCMH, not as patients, but simply to thank Dr. Schaefer personally.
“We wanted him to know what he meant to us,” Maureen said. “He listened. He cared. He didn’t just look at the test results, but he looked at my husband.”
For Eyman, expressing his gratitude was important.
“We wanted to thank Dr. Schaefer because we truly believe he saved my life,” Eyman said. “If he hadn’t encouraged me to contact my cardiologist right away, things could have turned out very differently. We’ll always be grateful for the care and concern he showed us.”
While TCMH provides emergency stabilization and comprehensive emergency care, Eyman’s story is a reminder that medicine is about more than test results alone. Clinical experience, careful listening, and timely follow-up can make all the difference.
“If sharing my story helps even one person take their symptoms seriously or encourage someone to seek medical attention sooner, then it’s worth telling,” Eyman said.
TCMH encourages anyone experiencing chest pain, unexplained shortness of breath, pain radiating to the shoulders, arms, neck or jaw, or other concerning symptoms to seek immediate medical evaluation. When symptoms persist despite reassuring initial tests, prompt follow-up with a healthcare provider is essential.
