Andrew’s Story
Shortly after being discharged from another hospital, Andrew Palange developed severe shortness of breath and fatigue. He went to the Emergency Room at CMMC where he met cardiologists with the Central Maine Heart and Vascular Institute. Drs. Mark Kolasa and Arun Thukkani suspected Andrew had developed cardiogenic shock, a serious condition that occurs when the heart does not pump well and can lead to organ failure and death.
Karen’s Story
Karen was trying to quit smoking when her primary care physician recommended she have a low dose chest CT (LDCT) scan, and was referred to Dr. Carmine Frumiento, cardiovascular surgeon at Central Maine Healthcare.
While the scan revealed she had lung cancer, the tumor was caught early and she was able to have it removed without the need for chemotherapy. Karen hasn’t stopped living because of lung cancer, but she has finally stopped smoking. She loves to garden and walk her dog, and hopes to live another 68 years.
