A Second Chance at Life: Coordinated Heart Care Across Two LCMC Health Hospitals Saves Lawrence Rawlins Sr. After a Life-Threatening Heart Attack

Lawrence Rawlins Sr., 53, will never again be able to think about April 15 as Tax Day. Instead, he will view it as the day the doctors and nurses at not one, but two LCMC Health hospitals – New Orleans East Hospital and University Medical Center New Orleans – saved his life.  

Now, he has a second chance to live life with his wife of 19 years, and watch his children get married someday and have babies of their own. He will also have plenty more time to listen to jazz and play the music he loves. 

A lifelong New Orleanian, Rawlins is a music teacher at Lake Forest Charter Elementary School and artistic director for The Roots of Music, a nonprofit after-school program that helps young musicians grow through music education and mentorship.  

Now a trumpet and flugelhorn player, Rawlins grew up playing French horn and loving jazz artist Chuck Mangione. He and his brother got the music bug from their mother, a teacher and his father, a musician who played for Mrs. Irma Thomas, known as the “Soul Queen of New Orleans” for more than 26 years. He has shared his passion for music with his own family. All four of his children play music.  

Today, in addition to being grateful for a life filled with joyous sound, Rawlins is focused on something even more important: recovery and gratitude after a three-day, life-threatening cardiac event that began with symptoms he almost ignored. 

Symptoms that didn’t seem serious 

Rawlins remembers first noticing discomfort on a Monday while at school. He mentioned it to a colleague and said it felt like gas pain. Sure enough, he burped and thought the discomfort had gone away. He remembers his friend warning him not to ignore chest pain.  

The next day, the pain returned and began moving through his chest. By that night, he was so uncomfortable that he felt the pain whether he was sitting, standing, or lying down. As time went on, he recalled, the pain worsened and he could not sleep. He also became short of breath. 

“It felt like I pulled a muscle in my chest,” he said. “It was a very weird sensation and I knew I had never felt anything like that before.” 

He couldn’t decide whether to go to the emergency room Wednesday morning, but his wife, Kiron, took the decision out of his hands when she drove him to New Orleans East Hospital. That decision, Emergency Services doctors said, likely saved his life. 

Fast action at New Orleans East Hospital 

When Rawlins arrived at the emergency room, he immediately noticed how quickly the team moved. “As soon as I got in there, things started happening immediately,” he said. “They really knew what they were doing.” 

Emergency Services staff quickly performed an electrocardiogram, also called an EKG, which measures the heart’s electrical activity and can detect signs of a heart attack. Nurses also checked his blood pressure and oxygen levels, both of which revealed serious concerns. 

“Nurse Ocean was on top of it,” he said. “She told us what was going on and what was going to happen. Everything she said happened exactly the way she said it would.” 

After reviewing the EKG results, cardiologist Naveed Malik, MD walked into Rawlins’ room and introduced himself. The patient was confused. He remembers thinking, “A cardiologist? Why do I need a cardiologist?” 

But Dr. Malik was quick to answer that question without it ever being asked aloud. He explained that Rawlins had suffered a heart attack and needed immediate transfer to University Medical Center New Orleans for specialized cardiac care. Doctors discovered a 100% blockage in one coronary artery and a 90% blockage in another. Coronary arteries supply blood and oxygen to the heart muscle. When blocked, they can cause a heart attack, also known as a myocardial infarction. 

The truth is, Rawlins’ heart attack, or at least the first one, had started with the pain he felt and dismissed as gas Monday morning.  Tests later revealed the cardiac event had continued through Tuesday. By the time he was seen, there was no time to waste. He was transported to University Medical Center as soon as they could get him into the ambulance. 

Emergency heart care at University Medical Center 

Once he arrived, Rawlins was taken directly to the cath lab where a stent procedure was performed. This is a minimally invasive treatment used to open blocked arteries and restore blood flow to the heart. During the procedure, physicians insert a small mesh tube called a stent into the narrowed artery to keep it open. 

“The next thing I knew, I woke up in the ICU,” Rawlins said. “I opened my eyes and saw doctors all around.” 

Throughout the procedure, Kiron received text updates from the team. “She loved being kept informed,” Rawlins said. “It helped her know what was happening every step of the way.” 

Doctors later discovered additional complications, including a blood clot. Rawlins required blood-thinning medication through a heparin drip, which helps prevent dangerous clot formation. After continued monitoring and testing, a week later, he underwent open-heart double bypass surgery with cardiothoracic surgeon Matthew T. Burger, MD. Coronary artery bypass grafting surgery, or CABG, improves blood flow to the heart by creating a new path around blocked arteries using healthy blood vessels from another part of the body. 

Confidence in his cardiac care team 

Rawlins said one of the most reassuring parts of his experience was the confidence and coordination shown by his care team. He specifically praised Dr. Burger and his team for their leadership and communication throughout his treatment and recovery. 

“Dr. Burger came in with such a positive attitude,” Rawlins said. “He told me, ‘You’re strong and young. The only thing wrong is your heart, and I’m going to fix it.’ I could tell he knew exactly what he was doing.” 

Rawlins also praised the nurses, dietitians, students, and support staff who cared for him during his ICU stay and recovery. “Nobody missed a beat,” Rawlins said. “Everything was coordinated and done so well. This experience has changed me—physically, mentally, and spiritually. I’m still here for a reason, and I don’t take that lightly.” 

Rawlins wants to offer a special shout out of gratitude to several nurses, including Hannah, Kennedy, Andrew, and Bree, for the compassion and attention they showed him during difficult moments. 

“If I pressed the button, they were there in seconds,” he said. “They made me comfortable. These are young, talented people saving lives.” 

Looking ahead and not taking his second chance for granted 

Now recovering at home in Gentilly, La., Rawlins said the experience changed the way he views hospitals and healthcare. “We say we hate hospitals, but this experience changed that for me,” he said. “Right now, I’m still healing. And I’m moving forward with a different level of gratitude.” 

He hopes to return to work for the next school year and can’t wait to get back to teaching music and mentoring students. When he was discharged, he left the hospital with a fresh haircut and a suit, wanting to walk out feeling like himself again. 

Most of all, he remains thankful to the teams at New Orleans East Hospital and University Medical Center who acted quickly and cared for him every step of the way. 

“Thank you for being prepared and paying attention to every detail,” Rawlins said. “I’m here and able to talk to you because they did what they needed to do. It was a team of doctors with students—everything was coordinated and done so well. The nurses, the dieticians — everyone. I don’t want to ever go through this again, but if I had to, I would go there.” 

For more information on cardiac care at University Medical Center New Orleans, visit: https://www.lcmchealth.org/university-medical-center-new-orleans/our-services/heart-vascular-care/ 

For more information about health services at New Orleans East Hospital, including cardiology care and emergency care, visit New Orleans East Hospital - Hospital in New Orleans, LA - LCMC