The month of February has been deemed American Heart Month. A time devoted to creating awareness in preventing, treating, and researching heart disease; still our nation’s number one killer. A great way to spread heart health awareness is to visit with those who have experienced such illnesses. Two local men, Larry Borer and Steven Schrunk, had previously done just that by sharing their heart stories in past pages of The Elgin Review. Today, in celebration of American Heart Month, both Larry and Steven return to share where they are now in their journey following their heart conditions.
It was the spring of 2015, and Larry Borer was out doing his daily chores. It was while he was lifting some calves he noticed something was wrong. He shared, “I just had a feeling in my chest. I thought it was heartburn. It wasn’t really a pain; I just knew something was wrong.” After sharing this information with his wife, Julie, she convinced him that he needed to see a doctor. While at the doctor, Larry underwent various tests such as an EKG, some blood work, and a stress test. Through these tests, they discovered that one side of his heart was not working. He then went to Norfolk and underwent a heart cath. He had one artery that was 100 percent blocked and another that was 90 percent blocked. It was then determined Larry’s heart would require a triple bypass.
Despite having to undergo such a surgery, Larry still believes himself to be very fortunate. “I was lucky to have not suffered a heart attack. There was no damage to my heart. It was just my turn to have something wrong. I was not devastated. I thought whatever it is, it is.” For the complete story turn to this week’s Elgin Review.
