Husband Saves Wife With CPR After Cardiac Arrest
March 18, 2023By: Randy Withers
Categories: Cardiac, Patient Stories
Jennifer Schueddig doesn’t remember anything about Friday, Feb. 17. “I thought I was having indigestion, but I slumped over and lost consciousness,” Jennifer said.
Without Warning
The 51-year-old mother of 11 suffered a cardiac arrest. Tom Schueddig, her husband, called 911 and began CPR. A professional caregiver, he had completed his CPR recertification just three weeks prior.
“It was like someone tapped me on the shoulder and whispered in my ear, ‘You know CPR.’ It was all business after that,” Tom said.
Tom performed CPR for four minutes until help arrived from the Gladstone Fire/EMS. First responders took over and continued chest compressions as they transported Jennifer to North Kansas City Hospital.
A Hidden Killer
Jennifer arrived at the Emergency Department and was triaged with a life-threatening illness. Doctors briefed her husband about her condition.
“They immediately took her to the Cath Lab for a CT scan,” Tom said. “The ER doctor and cardiologist told me ‘She’s as sick as sick can get. We are going to do all we can.’”
Justin Maxfield, MD, cardiologist with Meritas Health Cardiology, diagnosed Jennifer with myocarditis. A rare disease, myocarditis affects thousands of Americans each year according to the Myocarditis Foundation.
“Jennifer’s recent COVID infection likely had some role in her myocarditis,” Dr. Maxfield said. “It caused an inflammation of her heart, which we could see on her cardiac MRI. You don’t see it often, but the inflammation led to a deadly irregular rhythm, ventricular fibrillation (VFib).”
"He Was My Heartbeat"
VFib caused Jennifer’s heart to stop beating. EMS used a defibrillator to shock and restart her heart after nearly 28 minutes without a pulse. Dr. Maxfield expects her to make a full recovery.
“My husband was my heartbeat,” Jennifer said. “I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for him.”
After saving the love of his life, Tom wants others to learn how to do the same.
“I’ve been CPR certified for almost 40 years and have never needed it,” Tom added. “If this story can push someone to get trained, it’s all worth it.”
Be Prepared
Get CPR Certified
Be prepared to save the life of someone you love. NKCH and MH offer hybrid CPR classes with in-person skills assessments.
Data from the American Heart Association shows only 40% of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest victims get the immediate help they need before medical professionals arrive. When performed immediately, CPR can double or triple a person’s chances of survival.
