The Oklahoma City Dodgers and INTEGRIS Health continue the “Home Run For Life” series for an 11th season and will recognize Jeremiah Harrell during the Dodgers’ 7:05 p.m. game Saturday against the Round Rock Express at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark.
The Oklahoma City Dodgers and INTEGRIS Health continue the “Home Run For Life” series for an 11th season and will recognize Jeremiah Harrell during the Dodgers’ 7:05 p.m. game Saturday against the Round Rock Express at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark.
A multidisciplinary team of experts at INTEGRIS Baptist Medical Center performed life-saving emergency spinal surgery on Harrell while also accommodating his pre-existing heart conditions, including a left ventricular assistance device (LVAD), earlier this year.
INTEGRIS Baptist Medical Center is the only facility in the state offering a full- service advanced heart failure program including teams of board certified heart failure, LVAD, heart and lung transplant, anesthesia, cardiothoracic and neurosurgical experts together at one facility.
“Home Run For Life” recognizes individuals in the community who have overcome a significant medical event with the help of their families, physicians and health care professionals. To symbolize the end of their battle against adversity, honorees take a home run “lap” around the bases during a pregame ceremony.
“Each month during the baseball season, we are proud to partner with INTEGRIS Health to honor the perseverance and courage displayed by these incredible Oklahomans,” OKC Dodgers President/General Manager Michael Byrnes said. “’Home Run For Life’ allows us to uniquely recognize their amazing and inspiring stories of triumph over significant health challenges.”
Harrell was referred to INTEGRIS Health’s cardiology team when he first moved to Oklahoma City. He was born with a genetic heart condition that was deteriorating and he underwent a procedure to implant a left ventricular assistance device (LVAD) at INTEGRIS Baptist Medical Center in December 2021.
His life returned to normal until he started to feel numbness and a burning sensation in his neck around Easter earlier this year. Harrell’s wife rushed him to INTEGRIS Health in Oklahoma City where he met with Pal Randhawa, M.D., with INTEGRIS Spine and Neurological Surgery.
The medical team discovered a severe infection that eroded and destabilized his spine, causing it to begin to collapse and damage his spinal cord. “Had he not come to the hospital that very day, he would have been permanently paralyzed,” Randhawa said.
A team comprised of LVAD, anesthesia, cardiothoracic and neurosurgical experts were all present during the surgery in case they needed to respond quickly to any potential complications. INTEGRIS Baptist Medical Center is the only facility in the state capable of offering all these teams together in one place.
The emergency surgery was successful, and Harrell underwent additional staged surgeries to stabilize his neck. Harrell knows his surgeries were no small feat and is incredibly grateful for his caretakers. “My doctors are amazing,” Harrell said. “They keep a big smile on my face because without them I wouldn’t be walking around now.”
