An Introduction to my LIFE!!!

1
An Introduction to my LIFE!!!

• K
• I
• R
• T
• I
• P
• A
• T
• E
• L

2
A bit about me

• Born in Zambia, Africa. Been in USA since 1982
• Work as a cardiopulmonary perfusionist at
  Memorial Hermann Baptist Hospital in Beaumont, TX
  for the last 2.5 years.
• Interest/Hobbies include
• swimming
• riding my motorcyclegtgtgtgtgtgt
• tennis
• reading
• beach
• traveling

3
My Family

• Father Self-employed businessman
• Mother Housewife
• Older sister (34) Mother of 3 children and
  self-employed
• Younger sister (28) Nurse in Corpus Christi, TX
• Fiancé Nurse in ICU in Beaumont, TX

4
My Parents
5
My Education

• Undergraduate UT-Austin
• BS in Medical Technology UTMB-Galveston
• MPH in Disease Control UTSPH-Houston
• CCP (certified clinical perfusionist) Texas
  Heart Institute
• Today.working towards DrPH program in Disease
  Control

6
My Jobs

• 1995-Medical Technologist
• 1999-Instructor for cardiopulmonary perfusion at
  Texas Heart Institute
• 2000-Faculty at Medical University of South
  Carolina
• 2001-Staff perfusionist/Assistant Chief
  Perfusionist-Memorial Hermann Baptist Hospital

7
What is a PERFUSIONIST?

• Perfusionists are members of the open-heart
  surgery team who are mainly responsible for the
  operation of the heart-lung machine.
• Perfusionists operate extracorporeal circulation
  equipment during any medical situation where it
  is necessary to support or temporarily replace a
  patient's respiratory or circulatory functions,
  such as in open heart surgery.
• Perfusionists must handle very stressful
  situations, pay great attention to detail, be
  very responsible, and willing to stay on top of
  new developments in the profession

8
Other Duties

• Ventricular assist devices
• Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO)
• Blood conservation techniques/Autotransfusion
• Myocardial preservation
• Anticoagulation hematologic monitoring/analysis
• Physiological monitoring/analysis
• Blood gas and blood chemistry monitoring/analysis
• Induction of hypothermia/hyperthermia with
  reversal

• Hemodilution
• Hemofiltration
• Counterpulsation
• Administration of medications, blood components
  and anesthetic agents via the extracorporeal
  circuit
• Documentation associated with described duties
• Isolated limb/organ perfusion
• Electrophysiological analysis
• Surgical assistance
• Organ preservation
• Dialysis

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The Heart Operating Room
10
The Heart-Lung Machine
11
My Fiancé and I
12
The BIG Day

• Getting married June 5, 2004 at this beautiful
  resort in Montego Bay, Jamaica.

13
My Future Plans

• Successfully complete my DrPh program.
• Generate valuable data for my instituition
  through my dissertation related to cardiovascular
  epidemiology.
• Contribute in increasing awareness of
  cardiovascular diseases through research,
  education and statistics.
• Eventually, get involved with teaching again and
  become a director of a perfusion program at a
  teaching institution.