Page 6 - Methodist Health System | Methodist Dallas Medical Center | Shine | Spring 2013

“When you find yourself or
someone you love in a traumatic
situation, you want to be
surrounded by people who are
caring and competent. From
the very beginning, that is what
we experienced at Methodist
Dallas — compassionate
care from an experienced,
conscientious team. The
BrightER capital campaign
was a chance for me to give
back and say thank you.”
—Natalie JenkinsSorrell,
wife of MichaelJ.Sorrell, Esq., andmemberof
the BrightER capitalcampaign committee forthe
MethodistDallasMedicalCenterCharlesA.
SammonsTrauma andCriticalCareTowe r
Learnmore about the campaign at
Foundation.MethodistHealthSystem.org.
On Sept. 11, 2008, G. Mark
Jenkins, MD, FACC, independently
practicing interventional cardiologist
on the medical staff at Methodist Dallas
Medical Center received a note requesting
that he come see patient Michael Sorrell.
“I saw the name and thought, ‘It can’t
be Mike,’” recalls Dr. Jenkins.
Sure enough, Michael J. Sorrell, Esq.,
his longtime friend and recently appointed
president of Paul Quinn College, had
experienced sudden cardiac death.
Sorrell’s saving grace was his then-
girlfriend, now-wife, Natalie Jenkins Sorrell.
“If she hadn’t pumped on his chest,
breathed for him, and called 911, he
wouldn’t have made it,” Dr. Jenkins says.
Never saw it coming
At the time, Sorrell was only 41. He didn’t
smoke, rarely drank, exercised regularly,
ate well, and had annual checkups. Plus, he
had no family history of heart problems.
Yet that September morning, an
abnormal heart rhythm caused his
heart to stop.
“First, you’re experiencing a heart
condition for which you’re the most
unlikely candidate,” Sorrell says. “And then
you learn that the overwhelming majority
of people who experience it don’t survive.
And then you survive it because the
woman you’re dating just happens to be
there and remembers how to do CPR from
when she was a 16-year-old lifeguard.
“I’m not a betting man, but if I were, I’d
want my odds to be a bit better than that
situation. It goes without saying that this
was a life-changing event.”
Dr. Jenkins brought in David
Levine, MD, FACC, independently
practicing cardiac electrophysiologist
on the medical staff at Methodist
Dallas. Dr. Levine placed an implantable
cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) in Sorrell’s
chest to monitor his heart rhythm.
“Should he experience a dangerous heart
rhythm, the ICD would automatically
resuscitate him,” Dr. Levine says. He adds
that Sorrell’s case is unique, because ICDs
are usually for patients with a foreseen
risk. “There was no way of anticipating
such a condition for Michael.”
Taking the heart to heart
Fortunately, the ICD hasn’t needed to be
put to use, but Sorrell has put his second
chance at life to good use.
He’s made changes to both his
lifestyle and college. For example, Paul
Quinn College’s cafeteria now serves
fewer sugary drinks and incorporates
organic vegetables grown in the campus’
football-field-turned-garden.
“I’m a better husband, a better father,
a better college president, and a better
man because of this experience,” he says.
“For the journey that I had to take, I’m
just grateful to have had a hospital like
Methodist Dallas by my side. I don’t
underestimate that.”
Is your heart at risk? Find out with our
Heart Health Profiler at MethodistHealthSystem.
org/HeartSmart.
Texas law prohibits hospitals from practicing medicine. The
physicians on the Methodist Health System medical staff are
independent practitioners who are not employees or agents of
Methodist Health System or Methodist Dallas Medical Center.
Paul Quinn College President
Michael Sorrell embraces new
life after surviving heart incident
info
No stopping
him now
info
Photos courtesy of Liz Graves Photography
6 Methodist Dallas Medical Center • ❁ Spring 2013