Phil Cassidy is one in a million. At least, that’s what Dr. Tarun Nagrani told him after uncovering the issues with his heart. 

It was Labor Day Weekend, and Cassidy was tearing down a swimming pool when he suddenly felt wiped out. Pain shot across his back and his arms felt like rubber. He ended up in the Emergency Room. He underwent an ultrasound and a heart cath, and that’s when Dr. Nagrani realized just how unique Cassidy’s condition was. 

Cassidy had a rare case that featured a hole in one part of his heart, and a vein in the wrong location. Those two issues combined to cause the right side of his heart to become enlarged. Because it was such an uncommon condition, he was sent to Ohio State for surgery. 

He admits he was nervous about the procedure. In fact, he recalls asking the doctors what would happen if he just didn’t have the condition repaired. “They said, ‘Well, what will happen is you’ll fall over dead.’” 

Needless to say, he decided to have it repaired. 

For Cassidy, it was initially difficult to wrap his mind around having his chest opened up, but after talking through the procedure his concerns were alleviated. Following the surgery, he went through Cardiac Rehabilitation at the SOMC LIFE Center and, within ten weeks, he was back to work. He was surprised by how quickly he bounced back, and credits Dr. Nagrani with making the recovery possible by detecting the issue when he did. 

“The man saved my life,” Cassidy said. And, as it turned out, it wouldn’t be the last time he would be there for a member of the Cassidy family. 

Less than a year after Phil’s heart health issues, his wife suffered a heart attack caused by a 90% blockage. Once again, Dr. Nagrani was there. Along with Dr. Marion Hochstetler, the physicians took care of her and helped her come through “with flying colors.” 

Today, Cassidy is feeling better and is quick to offer praise to the providers who helped him through it. 

“You can’t go wrong with our heart doctors,” he said. “From Dr. Nagrani and Dr. Hamzi, the cardiologists, the surgeons… All of them are great people and great at what they do.”