During their 49 years of marriage, Pat and Sandra Cheshier have experienced countless joys and a few health scares -- like Sandra's heart event four years ago.
Doctors had to implant a heart stent to open a clogged artery and she signed up for Leap for Life heart healthy classes at Baylor Scott & White Heart Hospital.
"We had been going for three years, sounds like a long time," Sandra said.
"That was our date time. That's what I call it," Pat added.
During those classes is when Sandra said she learned Hands Only CPR, which is CPR without rescue breathes.
It requires two steps. First, call 911 and then push hard and fast in the center of the chest to the beat of the Bee Gees’ classic disco song “Stayin’ Alive.” The song is 100 beats per minute, the minimum rate at which one should push on the chest while performing Hands Only CPR.
"They're cute little tactics to learn, but I guarantee they're useful," Sandra said.
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She knows that from experience. Last September, Pat had a heart attack while in bed, while he was lying next to Sandra.
"I turned the light on and he was gasping for air," Sandra said. "I called 911 and she said, 'Do you know CPR?' And I said, 'Some.' And she said, 'Start,' so I did."
Her actions kept Pat alive until paramedics arrived.
He bounced back after surgery and weeks of cardiac rehab. Then, the two were back on track with life until Christmas Day, when Pat suddenly went into cardiac arrest.
"I got out of bed and looked over and he was gasping for air and it was like here we go again and so I started CPR, again," Sandra said.
For a second time, she saved her husband's life by using Hands Only CPR.
"She saved me twice and brought me back. She'll never know how much that means to both of us and our family," said Pat, who now has a pacemaker with defibrillator and is doing well.
According to the American Heart Association, 70% of all out-of-hospital cardiac arrests happen at home.
