Liscent was heading back to her home in Central Florida with her daughter when something suddenly didn’t feel right. “I got some discomfort in my chest,” she recalled. “She pulled over and then I started sweating profusely.”
Liscent’s daughter Marie didn’t hesitate. They needed help, and they needed it fast. After a quick Google search for where to go, they headed straight to the nearest emergency room: HCA Florida St. Lucie Hospital. “When we came into the ER, everybody just took me in right away. Everyone was so nice to me.”
As doctors began evaluating Liscent, the seriousness of her condition became clearer. But like many patients, she wrestled with whether to stay for treatment or return home. The distance from her usual doctors, the logistics and the unknowns made her question her next steps. That’s when one conversation changed everything.
Marie asked a young physician what he would he do if Liscent were his own grandmother. “He said… ‘I would not let my grandmother go home to wait to get care,’” Marie remembered. “When she heard that, my mother said, ‘Okay, I’ll stay.’” That choice, to trust the team in front of her, would soon prove lifesaving.
Further testing revealed a 95% blockage in one of the arteries feeding her heart. The critical diagnosis required immediate intervention. Liscent’s other daughter Carol, in a letter to the team, shared just how significant that moment was. “Dr. Lewis performed an angioplasty and placed a stent to clear the blocked artery — ultimately saving my mother’s life.”
For the family, it wasn’t just about the procedure. It was the confidence they felt being supported every step of the way. “From the moment my mother arrived, the hospital personnel demonstrated professionalism, compassion and genuine patient-centered care,” Carol said.
Liscent commended the team’s compassion throughout her stay, “Everyone really was so kind and loving.” Marie felt it too, describing an atmosphere that didn’t feel like a typical hospital at all. “It’s one of the most professional hospitals, and they just give such a family atmosphere,” she said. Instead of feeling isolated or overwhelmed, Liscent felt supported and at ease. “You don’t feel like you’re in a strange place,” Marie explained
Just days after her procedure, the difference in Liscent was already clear. “I was up and walking,” she said, smiling as she described moving through the hallway again. Marie could see and hear the change. “She’s got more air, more oxygen, it’s not like how it used to be,” she explained. And as Liscent’s strength returned, so did her plans for the future. “I’m ready to return to my family,” she said when asked what she was looking forward to.
Looking back, Liscent’s journey went beyond a serious diagnosis and successful treatment; she felt a deeper connection. Carol summed it up: “Although my mother was very ill, our family found comfort knowing she was surrounded by a team that truly exemplifies excellence in healthcare.”
Expert cardiac care close to home
No two cardiac events are the same. You need individualized analysis and treatment options. Each of our three emergency rooms at HCA Florida St. Lucie Hospital, HCA Florida Darwin Square Emergency and HCA Florida Stuart Emergency are equipped to accurately diagnose and initiate treatment for a range of medical emergencies including heart attack. Learn more about our emergency services.