Anton Kroger, a physician’s assistant at Rambam Health Care Campus (Rambam) in Haifa, Israel, met his neighbor Michael Frumpkin, a paramedic, recently in the most unexpected way. Michael was in cardiac arrest, but help was on its way.
Photo: (L-R) Anton Kroger and Michael Frumpkin Photography: Rambam HCC
Kroger, a resident of Tirat Ha Carmel, a small town south of Haifa, works as a physician’s assistant, trained in emergency resuscitation, at Rambam’s heart failure unit.
In an apartment block in Tirat Ha Carmel, Frumpkin was in agony. Realizing the situation’s urgency, his wife immediately called MADA's emergency hotline. MADA, the emergency response service, is lsrael's 911. From her description, MADA dispatchers assessed the situation and assured her that help was coming. While on the line, they guided and instructed her to perform cardiac chest compression to help maintain the blood flow in her husband's body.
At the same time, a MADA dispatcher contacted Kroger and explained that a man in his neighborhood was in cardiac arrest. Much to Kroger’s surprise the dispatcher was an old friend from his work at MADA, and remembered that he lived on the same street as Frumpkin. He immediately rushed to the apartment block, just down his street, to offer medical assistance until the MADA team arrived.
Frumpkin’s life was in the balance--he had no pulse. Upon arriving at the scene, Kroger took over CPR from Frumpkin’s wife.
Kroger initiated life-saving CPR, until MADA arrived. Using a portable defibrillator, the paramedics delivered five doses of electric current, reviving the patient. Frumpkin was out of immediate danger, but to ensure a successful outcome, he was admitted to The Frania Goldhar Department of Cardiac Intensive Care at the Eyal Ofer Heart Hospital at Rambam, under the directorship of Professor Doron Aronson.
After a comprehensive examination and advanced diagnostic testing, a pacemaker was implanted in Frumpkin’s chest to regulate his heartbeat. After a short hospital stay, Frumpkin was discharged, and before going home, he thanked the expert medical team who attended to him and the staff at MADA who fought to save his life.
Frumpkin and his wife now look forward to a happy and healthy future with their special friend and neighbor, Anton Kroger.