The head of the FDI police in Medina urges others not to gamble on their health after suffering a heart attack, dying for 15 minutes

MEDINA COUNTY, Texas – The head of the FDI police in Medina, Abel Devora, was at work at a road meeting on February 28, 2020, when everything went south. He suffered a heart attack and died for about 15 minutes until a nearby nurse brought him back to life using CPR.

“That day, I just came in and it was like falling asleep on my feet. So I have no idea what happened, “said Devora.

The police chief woke up after a surgery to bypass the quintuple and several surgeries to clean his arteries a few months later. A year later, he returned to work and lives a different lifestyle.

“I try to walk every day. I’m trying to bring some light weights, exercise, you know, I’m trying to eat a little better, “he said.

Devora’s goal is to reach him one day in a row.

Dr. Dawn Hui, an associate professor of cardiothoracic surgery at UT Health San Antonio, who treated Devora, says the boss’s recovery is quite remarkable.

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“The disease that affected his heart turned out to be similar to that in other areas, in other vessels, such as those that went to his brain,” Hui said.

February is National Heart Health Month, and Devora helps Hui spread the word about the importance of caring for one’s health before problems arise. Hui said heart disease is the leading killer in the United States for men and women.

Hui says it’s crucial to get under the care of a doctor. She says she often hears people say they have difficulty seeing signs that something is wrong.

“What I hear very often is, ‘Oh, I thought it was a heartburn,'” she said. “One of the symptoms of heart disease is to feel more tired with your usual activity. But sometimes these things are hard to figure out. ”

Hui said people throw it up to age, but it could be something more.

Those with a family history, who smoke and suffer from diabetes and obesity are at high risk. Heart disease can be found in those over 30 years of age.

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Hui says overcoming the problem does not have to be a dramatic life-changing change, but it starts with small choices.

“Every meal you eat is a choice you make. “Am I going to eat a healthy meal?” “Will I eat unhealthy food” or “Can I compromise?” I think small, incremental changes are the best thing we can do, “Hui said.

Devora returned to work. He says that until the heart attack, he was just a typical guy, who wasn’t too big on doctors and often too tired to exercise. He says everyone knows the importance of self-care, but sometimes work, family and lack of time hinder.

“For me personally, with me, I never apologized. I was tired. I just went home, “he said. “Basically, it’s all about doing what you know you should do. I mean, that’s all common sense. If you know it, force yourself and that’s the hardest part – forcing yourself to do what you already know. “

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For more information on heart health, visit the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute page on how to make seven healthy choices in seven days.