A picture is worth a thousand words, but pictures don’t always tell the full story. Take, for instance, Katie Eddington, 34, of Lafayette, a youth minister at Our Savior’s Church Midtown, and Jarachin “Jerry” Guidry, 44, of Church Point, who manages multiple oilfield industry work sites.
Eddington and Guidry appeared to be the picture of health. Last Fall, these complete strangers had previously diagnosed heart murmurs that developed into similar cardiovascular issues which nearly ended their lives much too soon. On Tuesday, Eddington and Guidry reunited with Chance DeWitt, MD, cardiovascular and thoracic surgeon, and the Our Lady of Lourdes Heart Hospital team he leads that saved their lives.
Heart disease remains the leading cause of death in the U.S., with nearly 600,000 deaths each year, according to the American Heart Association. An estimated 10 percent of adults and 30 percent of children experience a heart murmur. Although many murmurs are harmless, a healthcare provider may order further testing to determine if the murmur is a symptom of a more severe heart valve issue.
“The body has an incredible ability to compensate for any deficiencies that may occur,” Dr. DeWitt said. “When you start to notice yourself not being able to do the same activities at the same level you used to, that’s a critical time to see a physician.”
Born to Run
Eddington studied sports medicine at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, frequently traveling with the Ragin’ Cajuns football, soccer and softball teams. After graduation, she worked as a personal trainer, during which time she ran seven full marathons, including the prestigious Boston Marathon in 2017. While undergoing a routine checkup in 2019, Eddington’s OB-GYN noticed a heart murmur. Because heart disease claimed the life of her older brother at age 31, she was referred to a cardiologist.
“My brother’s heart issues were completely different than what I experienced,” Eddington explained, “but the history itself was enough of a reason to take a closer look.”
Further testing showed Eddington had mitral valve prolapse, a form of heart disease in which the mitral valve becomes enlarged or stretched and bulge into the left atrium with each heartbeat. Because the condition could take up to 10 years to develop into something more severe, heart specialists caring for Eddington opted to monitor her condition. Nearly 14 years later, her condition did worsen, requiring her to have a heart valve replacement in August 2024.
“When you’re a young woman, there’s sometimes this feeling that nothing can happen to me. But, none of us are exempt from hardships in life. Anything can happen to anybody,” she said. “I also think it’s so important to listen to your body and advocate for yourself. No one knows your body better than you. If you feel like something is wrong, say something.”
Can’t Beat the Feeling
Likewise, a heart murmur discovered when Guidry was a child eventually developed into severe cardiovascular complications. A Church Point native, Guidry, 44, spent most of his adult life working in oilfield jobs that required a lot of physical labor. In July 2024, his family doctor noticed his heart murmur was “very loud.”
“She scheduled an echocardiogram and blood work, which revealed I had suffered a heart attack. I was sent immediately to Our Lady of Lourdes Heart Hospital,” Guidry explained. “My treatment team found a blood clot in one of my lungs and another in the main artery going to my spleen. They also saw my aorta had two flaps that were not functioning properly. My heart was working at 20 percent capacity.”
Guidry was referred to Dr. DeWitt, who initially scheduled a heart valve replacement for Guidry in December. Additional testing led Dr. DeWitt to move the procedure up to October. “I wasn’t surprised by the news,” Guidry continued. “I couldn’t even walk from the parking lot to Dr. DeWitt’s office without stopping several times to catch my breath.”
Guidry spent 20 days in the hospital before returning home and starting Cardiac Rehab. On January 6, he returned to work on light duty, mainly office work managing two work sites. Guidry’s heart was working at 40 percent capacity when he left the hospital. Recent tests showed the number increased to 60 percent.
“The good news is I’m still alive. I didn’t realize how much chest pain I was having before because of the erratic heartbeat,” he said. “That problem is fixed, and I couldn’t be happier. I cannot express enough the thankfulness I feel for the compassionate care I received. They truly went above and beyond.”
Here are some photos from the event, courtesy of Our Lady of Lourdes Heart Hospital:
Patients Katie Eddington and Jarachin “Jerry” Guidry reunite with cardiothoracic surgeon Chance DeWitt, MD, and the Our Lady of Lourdes Heart Hospital team that saved their lives last Fall. The reunion, held Tuesday, February 25, is the second annual Heart Hospital Patient Reunion held in conjunction with the hospital’s American Heart Month celebration.
Katie Eddington, left, and Jarachin “Jerry” Guidry, right, reunited Tuesday with cardiothoracic surgeon Chance DeWitt, MD, who led the Our Lady of Lourdes Heart Hospital team that saved their lives last Fall.
Chance DeWitt, MD, cardiothoracic surgeon with Our Lady of Lourdes Health, explains the ABIOMED Impella device used during a procedure last Fall that saved the life of Jarachin “Jerry” Guidry.
