Fred Jordan

Fred Jordan and his wife Lynn were already doing everything they could to stay healthy.

The Pineville couple, married for just six years, were diligent about eating well and exercising. But when Rapides Regional Medical Center began offering the “Calcium Scoring” test, the couple signed up.

“A friend I knew had the test and discovered he had heart disease,” Jordan said. “I’ve had two brothers have bypass surgery, and I know it runs in families. Even though my other test results were always fine, I wanted to be sure.”

Jordan’s “Calcium Score” was high — a higher score than his cardiologist had seen before. A heart cath two days later showed five blockages.“From there, they took me straight to surgery,” Jordan said. “I had a double bypass and was home by the next Monday.”

Fred, who had lost his first wife to cancer and Lynn, who had lost her first husband to heart disease and stroke, consider it a miracle.

“The doctor told me that with his blockages, he would have eventually just dropped dead,” Mrs. Jordan said. “That test saved him, as far as I’m concerned. I’m glad we took the time to schedule the test because I didn’t want to spend the rest of my life without him.”

Now, the Jordans still exercise and eat well, but they also have a little extra peace of mind — and many more years together.