Heart condition causes man to forget wife is pregnant
Feb 14, 2018, 12:19 PM | Updated: Feb 15, 2018, 12:06 am
NORFOLK, Va. — A North Carolina man woke up from a medically-induced coma and had forgotten his wife was pregnant and had given birth during his illness.
John Lancaster, 27, first reported a cough and thought he had a bad cold, but doctors soon discovered he had a serious heart condition.
Lancaster was flown to Sentara Heart Hospital last month, but he doesn’t remember the flight.
“I remember having a cough and then I remember going to the hospital in Elizabeth city and then I woke up here,” said Lancaster.
Lancaster couldn’t breathe back on Jan. 17, 2018. It was his wife Erica, who encouraged him to go to the hospital.
“She’s my life saver,” said John Lancaster.
At first, doctors didn’t know what was wrong.
Erica Lancaster said, “Seeing him on the ventilators – that was just scary.”
Doctors detected an undiagnosed heart condition that effected his lungs and almost killed him.
John Lancaster praised his medial team, “They’re rock stars. They really came together. They worked together to do and they saved my life.”
Doctors operated on John Lancaster and put him into a medically-induced coma.
When he came out of that coma he didn’t remember his wife was 9-months pregnant.
Erica Lancaster actually gave birth Jan. 24, 2018, the same day he had surgery.
“After delivering her and hour later I made my sister wheelchair me down before his procedure,” said Erica Lancaster.
Kimber Lancaster was born weighing 7 pounds and 11 ounces. Ironically, 7-Eleven is where her dad works.
Shortly after his surgery he got to hold her for the first time.
This Valentine’s Day is extra special for this young family. John Lancaster’s heart is filled with gratitude to the people who saved him, his wife and his newborn daughter.
John Lancaster has a long recovery ahead of him, but he said he can’t wait to get home to be with his wife and new daughter – the two people that he said keeps him going.
