I’m happy to be able to write this, as not long ago my name might have appeared in the obituary section. My name is Jerry Board, and my story began the evening of Jan. 26. As I was preparing for bed, I felt a strange discomfort in my chest. My wife drove me to Alpena MyMichigan hospital. When I mentioned chest pains to the receptionist, I was quickly ushered to an exam room where wires were placed on my chest that led to a machine. A nurse looked at the printout and shouted, “I WANT A DOCTOR IN HERE NOW.” A doctor came in and I asked him, “What’s going on?” He replied, “YOU’RE HAVING A HEART ATTACK!” Someone said, we have to remove your pants, and began shaving me, yes, down there. (They used an artery in my groin to thread the stent up to my heart). I was moved to another table and wheeled to the operating room. My next memory was being in bed in intensive care.

A doctor explained that I had a 98% blockage in the “widow-maker.” I had three stents placed in my heart here in Alpena, then on Feb. 14, we drove to Midlan,d where two more stents were placed in my heart. I thank the Lord for giving me a new lease on life. I offer my thanks to everyone who attended to me that January evening. From the young man who first took my information at the hospital, to the nurses, technicians, doctors, everyone who attended to my needs. We are so fortunate to have this fine medical facility here in Alpena. I thank God I’m alive today, and cannot offer enough praise to those who staff, and make our MyMichigan Medical Center such a blessing to Northeastern Michigan.

GERALD “JERRY” BROAD,

Alpena