“My husband is with us for Christmas because thanks to you” – thanks to Dr. Lydia Stefanova and the entire Heart and Brain Hospital family

This is the medical facility in Burgas, which for me is not only a hospital, but a place where there is humanity and humanity, for them there are no Saturdays and Sundays, says Mina Dzhuglarska

Burgas resident Mina Dzhuglarska arrived with a broken leg and crutches to the editorial office of Flagman.bg to thank the people who saved her family. We know Mina Dzhuglarska well through her dedicated work in support of children with special needs in Burgas Municipality.

“My husband, who is a father, a grandfather and a pillar for our family, is with us for Christmas because he has you” – today her gratitude is for the director Dr. Lidiya Stefanova and the whole family of the Heart and Brain Hospital, and her emotional story is too personal, it does not need editing and introduction, so we provide it to you:

“It all started on October 22, Sunday, my husband Vasil Dzhuglarsky was hunting. As he was leaving, he felt bad, called me on the phone and said, “I feel bad, I have pain in my chest and I can’t breathe.” It was more than clear to me that things were very serious, but I tried my best to take the tension and pain away from him. With our combined efforts, he made it to Heart and Brain Hospital. This is the medical facility in Burgas, which for me is not only a hospital, but a place where there is humanity and humanity. Led by the director Dr. Lidiya Stefanova, there are no weekends for them. October 22 was a Sunday, but immediately the team gathered in an emergency because of my husband. My husband was found to have a very serious aortic problem, which I cannot say in medical terms, lest it sound silly. Basil’s life was in their hands and everything was happening in such a short time. Terror flooded all of us, his loved ones. Separately, I had a broken leg for two days, lying motionless at home with a cast, splint and two crutches.

For what was happening, I thought, evil never comes alone. Immediately, the team admitted him, they kept him alive and began a week of physical and mental preparation of his condition so that the surgery could take place, in which innovative methods and techniques were applied, with the insertion of an endoprosthesis and other necessary things, which every day and every hour there was a specialist to explain to us in a human way.

On the day of the surgery, Assoc. Prof. Vladimir Kornovski, the cardiac surgeon, who is world class in his professionalism, together with his team did a 12-hour surgery in which other unexpected problems happened, which were managed and everything ended in the best way. Despite the 12-hour surgery and that we loved ones stood and waited for the outcome, there was no one to explain to us why the surgeries were so long, what was happening, the time it took. The team that performed the surgery took care afterwards as well. Every day they explained to us what was next. For the blood donors, for example, they said we could take the notes later – it took 6 once and then 8 more. We were constantly reassured, met with such humanity and helpfulness that there was no way I could not come and tell them in person in the run up to the Christmas holidays. The good example must be told, we cannot just berate the health system. The good example is there, the doctors are fighting for us, for our loved ones and for our lives. Besides the teams who knew their job perfectly, they were ready for a surprise, the most human thing is that they explained. Assoc. Prof. Kornovski patiently answered all my layman questions after those 12 hours.

In the process of my husband’s recovery, I also met with the director, Dr. Lydia Stefanova, I wanted to tell her that this is a very modern hospital, there is even a psychologist there. And orderlies, nurses, technical secretaries – all in the right place at the right time. She was saying, “the patient has a right, he comes first, this is more than normal what we have done, madam.” With a smile she found a way to explain to me that this was Heart and Brain and so it would be.

Many thanks to everyone who helped him be home, recovering. I can see the joy of the medical teams too when we go for check-ups. They welcome him and are happy for him. The survival rate in such a life-saving operation, despite the good technique and training of the medical staff, is very small in terms of success rate. My husband was given a second chance, for him to be alive and among us, his family.

Now we will all be reunited on Christmas Eve. Every year there was someone and something to be thankful for. This year we will thank the entire Heart and Brain Hospital family. You are a heart that works with a brain. I hope that you will become a brand, as Dr. Stefanova dreams, and that you will truly be the pride not only in Burgas, Bulgaria, but also abroad.”