Heart in Hand

Airing Dec. 29, 9 p.m. on TLC 

Heart in Hand tells the story of Penny Reed, a Surrey Memorial Hospital ER nurse who collapsed in her Port Moody home in February 2008 due to blood clots in her lungs (pulmonary embolism).

After Reed stopped breathing and went into cardiac arrest at Eagle Ridge Hospital, doctors gave her a thoracotomy and begin manual heart massage in the middle of the busy ER. They then administered the clot-busting drug tPA, but her heart still wouldn’t beat on its own. The team did not give up, however – two doctors continued the manual heart massage as she was transported to Royal Columbian, where massive blood clots were removed from her lungs.

Reed, now an ER nurse and RN site leader at Eagle Ridge, is thankful for the care she received at her community hospital.

“The bottom line is if the people at Eagle Ridge didn’t do what they did, I never would have made it to Royal Columbian,” she said. “They saved my life.”

Filming for “Untold Stories” took place over three days in August and September. Reed was interviewed for the show and had an opportunity to review and suggest changes to the script. Professional actors play her and her paramedic husband Scott in the reenactment.

The couple’s teenage daughter Chelsea – who had found Penny after she collapsed – was asked to play herself in some scenes, while in other scenes, the role is played by Chelsea’s best friend Brooke Bartlett, an actress with similar colouring and build.

“It was a new experience for us,” Reed related. “I hope this helps people feel differently about Eagle Ridge and their community hospital. If someone needs help, they do know what to do.”

ER physician Dr. Jason Exner, who had coordinated Reed’s care at Eagle Ridge, played himself in the TV reenactments and provided technical advice to help make the scenes as realistic as possible.

Exner was familiar with “Untold Stories” long before it chose to film Penny's story – it’s his wife’s favourite show. However, the filming process was completely new to him. “I won’t be giving up my day job,” he joked.

Exner hopes the show helps illustrate the challenges health care professionals deal with on a daily basis, and the dedication they have for their work.

“A combination of things came together that day – it could have gone very differently,” noted Exner, who works at both Eagle Ridge and Royal Columbian. “This was a real team effort, at both of the hospitals. Everybody who possibly could have pitched in and helped, did so.”