Barbara Hillegass was living with high blood pressure — a health concern she couldn’t find a solution for. Despite trying multiple medications, her results didn’t change.
In June 2022, Barbara made an appointment with the UPMC Heart and Vascular Institute at UPMC Bedford. She was ultimately seen by Cassandra Fisher, CRNP.
“What a remarkable woman,” Barbara recalls. “Cassie told me we were going to figure this out together and get things taken care of.”
As part of this initial meeting, Cassandra quickly ordered a stress test to monitor Barbara’s heart.
As Barbara explains, “That’s a test I failed tremendously.”
Surgical Intervention
Needing to act fast, Barbara was quickly placed under the care of cardiologist George Jabbour, MD, at UPMC Altoona. Dr. Jabbour performed cardiac catheterization — a procedure in which he threaded a tube from the radial artery in Barbara’s wrist to her heart to get a closer look at the issue.
“He discovered that I had a triple blockage,” Barbara says. “And he recommended that I get open heart surgery as soon as possible.”
On July 19, cardiothoracic surgeon Daniel Ciaburri, MD, performed coronary artery bypass surgery (CABG), taking a healthy blood vessel from Barbara’s leg and grafting it into her heart to reroute blood around the blockages. She spent the next four days in the hospital.
“I had an unbelievably positive experience at UPMC Altoona,” Barbara recalls. “Everyone was excellent, and the care was phenomenal.”
The Road to Recovery
Now home in Bedford County, Barbara feels blessed to have her life back. She had a beach vacation planned before her surgery and was still able to go four weeks later after seeking advice from Dr. Ciaburri.
“It was such a relaxing week after an unexpected summer,” Barbara explains.
Barbara is also passionate about doing volunteer work and going on mission trips, including hurricane relief efforts in the southern part of the United States.
She says she’s able to enjoy all of this thanks to the incredible care she received at UPMC, starting with that first conversation with Cassandra.
“Every individual journey is personal to her,” Barbara says. “Meetings with her aren’t just in-and-out. She is passionate about finding answers and helping her patients find their health again."
Barbara’s treatment and results may not be representative of all similar cases.
